Porous absorbent for sodium metal halide cells

A method of preparing a cell cathode compartment, comprising:

• mechanically mixing cathode granules;
• loading the cathode granules into a cell cathode compartment to form a granule bed comprising metal granules, metal halide granules, and sodium halide granules;
• applying a porous absorbent coating to a surface of a cathode current collector of the cell cathode compartment such that the porous absorbent coating substantially coats the surface of the cathode current collector;
• applying the porous absorbent coating to a surface of a separator of the cell cathode compartment such that the porous absorbent coating substantially coats the surface of the separator, the separator disposed adjacent to the granule bed,
• wherein the surface of the separator is adjacent to the granule bed,
• wherein the cathode current collector is disposed in the granule bed, and wherein
• at a first longitudinal position, the granule bed contacts the surface of the separator;
• and
• at a second longitudinal position, the porous absorbent coating coats the surface of the separator and the granule bed contacts the porous absorbent coating.

A sodium metal halide cell, comprising:

• a cell cathode compartment including:
• a granule bed comprising metal granules, metal halide granules, and sodium halide granules;
• a cathode current collector disposed in the granule bed;
• a liquid electrolyte dispersed in the granule bed;
• a separator adjacent to the granule bed;
• and
• a porous absorbent coating;
• wherein the porous absorbent coating substantially coats a surface of the cathode current collector and a surface of the separator that is adjacent to the granule bed, wherein
• at a first longitudinal position, the granule bed contacts the surface of the separator, and
• at a second longitudinal position, the porous absorbent coating coats the surface of the separator and the granule bed contacts the porous absorbent coating.