LIAl/FES.sub.x battery separator system with microporous electrode particle retainer screens

In a separator system for a molten salt Li alloy/FeS.sub.x electrochemical cell comprising:

• positive and negative electrodes, a separator for separating positive and negative electrodes interposed between said electrodes, two metal electrode particle retainer screens sandwiching opposite sides of said separator member and facing respectively said positive and negative electrodes, the improvement wherein:
• said metal particle retainer screens comprise flexible, sintered metal microporous particle retainer screens, thereby providing a separator assembly wherein the sintered metal microporous particle retainer screens exclude electrode particles from entering the separator thereby eliminating self shorting while allowing free flow of molten electrolyte salt and cations, and wherein the microporous particle retainers screens will not crack under cyclical charging and discharging, the cell life is in excess of 500 cycles, and the microporous screens may be toleranced, formed or welded to electrical cups, ceramic rings or bipolar plates to completely encapsulate the electrode materials.