COPPER-OXIDE AS A HIGH-TEMPERATURE BATTERY CATHODE MATERIAL

Copper oxide has been tested as a cathode material for high temperatur e primary reserve thermal batteries in single cells at 530 to 600-degr ees-C and at current densities of 0.1 to 0.25 A cm-2 using lithium-alu minium alloy anodes and lithium fluoride-lithium chloride-lithium brom ide molten salt electrolytes. Initial on-load voltages were around 2.3 V, falling to 1.5 V after about 0.5 F mol-1 has been withdrawn. Lithi um copper oxide, LiCu2O2, and cuprous oxide, Cu2O, were identified as discharge products.