Molten fluid electrode apparatus with solid lithium iodide electrolyte having improved lithium ion transport characteristics

Abstract

Performance of a thermal lithium battery is improved by improving the ion-transport characteristics of a solid lithium iodide electrolyte. The lithium iodide lattice of the solid electrolyte includes defects that improve the ion-transport characteristics of the solid lithium iodide electrolyte. In one example, the defects are due to the introduction of nanoparticles that result in grain boundary defects. The defects resulting at the grain boundaries with the nanoparticles improve the ion transport characteristics of the electrolyte. In another example, defects originating from the synthesis process are pinned by the presence of nanoparticles and/or the reinforcing structure. In another example, the defects are aliovalent substitution defects. A cation that is aliovalent to the lithium cation (Li+), such as a barium cation (Ba2+), creates an aliovalent substitution defect in the lithium iodide lattice. In order to maintain charge neutrality in the lattice, two lithium cations are replaced by a single barium cation creating the defect in the lattice.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.