A primary cell having an anode comprising lithium and a cathode comprising iron disulfide (FeS 2 ) and carbon particles. The electrolyte comprises a lithium salt dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent mixture which contains an additive, preferably iodine, suppressing voltage delay. A cathode slurry is prepared comprising iron disulfide powder, carbon, binder, and liquid solvent. The mixture is coated onto a conductive substrate and solvent evaporated leaving a dry cathode coating on the substrate. The anode and cathode can be spirally wound with separator therebetween and inserted into the cell casing with electrolyte then added.
1. A primary electrochemical cell comprising a housing; a positive and a negative terminal; an anode comprising lithium; a cathode comprising iron disulfide (FeS 2 ) and conductive carbon, said cell further comprising an electrolyte, said electrolyte comprising elemental iodine and a lithium salt dissolved in a solvent mixture comprising dimethoxyethane.
2. The cell of claim 1 wherein the lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of LiCF 3 SO 3 (LITFS), Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N (LiTFSI), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6 ), lithium iodide (LiI), lithium bromide (LiBr), lithium tetrafluorobromate (LiBF 4 ), and mixtures thereof.
3. The cell of claim 1 wherein the elemental iodine comprises between about 0.01 and 5 percent by weight of said electrolyte.
4. The cell of claim 1 wherein the elemental iodine comprises between about 0.1 and 1.0 percent by weight of said electrolyte.
5. The cell of claim 1 wherein said cathode comprising iron disulfide (FeS 2 ) and conductive carbon is coated onto a substrate sheet comprising aluminum.
6. The cell of claim 1 wherein the anode comprises a sheet of lithium or lithium alloy.
7. The cell of claim 1 wherein said conductive carbon comprises a mixture of carbon black and graphite.
8. The cell of claim 1 wherein said cathode further comprises a binder comprising an elastomeric material.
9. The cell of claim 1 wherein said cathode comprising iron disulfide (FeS 2 ) is in the form of a coating bound to a metallic substrate and wherein said anode comprising lithium and said cathode are arranged in spirally wound form with a separator material therebetween.