Thermal battery cathode materials and batteries including same
View Patent ↗Cathode materials for use in thermal batteries are disclosed. The cathode material includes a primary active material and an amount of a bi-metal sulfide such as CuFeS 2 . Batteries (e.g., thermal batteries) that contain such cathode materials are also disclosed.
1. A cathode material for use in thermal batteries, the cathode material comprising:
a metal sulfide that is at least 46 wt % selected from the group consisting of FeS 2 , CoS 2 and mixtures thereof;
at least 2 wt % and no more than 14 wt % CuFeS 2 ; and
an amount of electrolyte material.
2. The cathode material as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
no more than 80 wt % of the metal sulfide.
3. The cathode material as set forth in claim 1 , the cathode material further comprising:
at least 6 wt % CuFeS 2 .
4. The cathode material as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte material includes:
at least 25 wt % lithium bromide;
at least 4 wt % lithium chloride;
at least 42 wt % lithium fluoride; and
at least 1 wt % potassium bromide.
5. The cathode material as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least 76 wt % of the metal sulfide is selected from the group consisting of FeS 2 , CoS 2 and mixtures thereof.
6. The cathode material as set forth in claim 5 , the cathode material further comprising:
at least 9 wt % CuFeS 2 .
7. The cathode material as set forth in claim 1 wherein the CuFeS 2 is synthetic or is obtained from chalcopyrite.
8. The cathode material as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
metal oxide that is at least 1 wt % Li 2 O.
9. A battery comprising an anode material, a cathode material, and an electrolyte material, the cathode material comprising:
a metal sulfide that is at least 46 wt % selected from the group consisting of FeS 2 , CoS 2 and mixtures thereof;
at least 2 wt % and no more than 14 wt % CuFeS 2 ; and
an amount of electrolyte material.
10. The battery as set forth in claim 9 , the cathode material further comprising:
no more than 80 wt % of the metal sulfide.
11. The battery as set forth in claim 9 , the cathode material further comprising:
at least 6 wt % CuFeS 2 .
12. The battery as set forth in claim 9 wherein the CuFeS 2 is synthetic or is obtained from chalcopyrite.
13. The battery as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:
a second electrolyte material included within the cathode, wherein the second electrolyte material includes:
at least 25 wt % lithium bromide;
at least 4 wt % lithium chloride;
at least 42 wt % lithium fluoride; and
at least 1 wt % potassium bromide.
14. The battery as set forth in claim 13 wherein the second electrolyte material is substantially binder-free.
15. The battery as set forth in claim 13 wherein the second electrolyte material is substantially MgO-free.
16. The battery as set forth in claim 13 wherein the lithium bromide, lithium chloride, lithium fluoride and potassium bromide form a eutectic mixture.
17. The battery as set forth in claim 13 wherein the second electrolyte material includes:
no more than 41 wt % lithium bromide;
no more than 14 wt % lithium chloride;
no more than 64 wt % lithium fluoride; and
no more than 12 wt % potassium bromide.
18. The battery as set forth in claim 9 , further comprising:
metal oxide that is at least 1 wt % Li 2 O.
19. The battery as set forth in claim 9 wherein the battery is a thermal battery and comprises pyrotechnic material.