Electrochemical cells with cathode-active materials of layered compounds

Abstract

An improved cathode which contains as a cathode-active material a layered compound of the formula MA.sub.x B.sub.y wherein M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, vanadium, titanium, chromium and indium, A and B are members selected from the group consisting of chalcogenides and halides, and x and y are numerical values from 0 to 2 with the sum of x and y being substantially equal to about 2, the layered compounds belonging to crystallographic space group V.sub.H.sup.13. The improved cathode is used with an anode that contains as the anode-active material at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Group IA metals, Group IB metals, Group IIA metals, Group IIB metals, Group IIIA metals and mixtures of the aforesaid metals with other substances such that the aforesaid metals can be electrochemically released from the mixture (lithium is preferred) and an electrolyte which is chemically inert to the anode or cathode materials and which will permit migration of ions from the anode to the cathode. A specific example is a battery prepared by utilizing lithium as the anode-active material and a lithium salt dissolved in dioxolane as the electrolyte.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.