AUTOCLAVABLE CFX CELL

1 .- 12 . (canceled)

13 . An electrochemical cell that is configured for expose to an autoclave environment, the electrochemical cell comprising:

a) a casing;

b) an anode comprising lithium;

c) a cathode comprising carbon monofluoride;

d) a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode to prevent them from direct physical contact with each other and to thereby form an electrode assembly disposed inside the casing; and

e) an ionically conductive electrolyte provided in the casing to activate the electrode assembly, the electrolyte consisting essentially of:

i) LiBF 4 ;

ii) γ-butyrolactone (GBL); and

iii) diglyme,

iv) wherein, by volume percent, the ratio of GBL:diglyme ranges from 45:55 to 55:45.

14 . The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein the carbon monofluoride is selected from C 2 F and CF x with x ranging from about 0.1 to 1.9.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein the electrolyte has a dielectric constant of at least about 5.

17 . The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein the separator comprises polypropylene having a tensile strength of at least 135 kgf/cm 2 .

18 .- 23 . (canceled)

24 . The electrochemical cell of claim 14 wherein in the formula CF x for the carbon monofluoride, x ranges from about 0.5 and 1.2.

25 . The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein the separator comprises polypropylene devoid of a surfactant.

26 . The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein the separator is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, fluoropolymeric fibers, polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene, polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene, and polytetraflouroethylene.

27 . The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein at least one of the cathode and the anode comprise a current collector composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, a superferrite material, nickel, cobalt nickel alloys, copper, aluminum, tungsten, gold, and platinum.

28 . An electrochemical cell that is configured for expose to an autoclave environment, the electrochemical cell comprising:

a) a casing;

b) an anode comprising lithium;

c) a cathode comprising carbon monofluoride;

d) a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode to prevent them from direct physical contact with each other and to thereby form an electrode assembly disposed inside the casing; and

e) an electrolyte provided in the casing to activate the electrode assembly, the electrolyte consisting essentially of:

i) an ionically conductive lithium salt;

ii) γ-butyrolactone (GBL); and

iii) diglyme,

iv) wherein, by volume percent, the ratio of GBL:diglyme ranges from 45:55 to 55:45.

29 . The electrochemical cell of claim 28 wherein the cathode has a sandwich design comprising CF x and silver vanadium oxide (SVO).

30 . The electrochemical cell of claim 28 wherein the separator is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, fluoropolymeric fibers, polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene, polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene, and polytetraflouroethylene.

31 . The electrochemical cell of claim 28 wherein the separator comprises polypropylene devoid of a surfactant.

32 . The electrochemical cell of claim 28 wherein the separator comprises polypropylene having a tensile strength of at least about 135 kgf/cm 2 .

33 . The electrochemical cell of claim 28 wherein the ionically conductive lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of LiBF 4 , LiPF 6 , LiAsF 6 , LiSbF 6 , LiClO 4 , LiO 2 , LiAlCl 4 , LiGaCl 4 , LiC(SO 2 CF 3 ) 3 , LiN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiSCN, LiO 3 SCF 3 , LiC 6 F 5 SO 3 , LiO 2 CCF 3 , LiSO 6 F, LiB(C 6 H 5 ) 4 , LiCF 3 SO 3 , and mixtures thereof.

34 . The electrochemical cell of claim 28 wherein the electrolyte has a dielectric constant of at least about 5.

35 . An electrochemical cell that is configured for expose to an autoclave environment, the electrochemical cell comprising:

a) a casing;

b) an anode comprising lithium;

c) a cathode comprising carbon monofluoride;

d) a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode to prevent them from direct physical contact with each other and to thereby form an electrode assembly disposed inside the casing; and

e) an electrolyte provided in the casing to activate the electrode assembly, the electrolyte comprising:

i) an ionically conductive lithium salt selected from the group consisting of LiBF 4 , LiPF 6 , LiAsF 6 , LiSbF 6 , LiClO 4 , LiO 2 , LiAlCl 4 , LiGaCl 4 , LiC(SO 2 CF 3 ) 3 , LiN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiSCN, LiO 3 SCF 3 , LiC 6 F 5 SO 3 , LiO 2 CCF 3 , LiSO 6 F, LiB(C 6 H 5 ) 4 , LiCF 3 SO 3 , and mixtures thereof; and

ii) a solvent mixture consisting essentially of γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and diglyme,

iii) wherein, by volume percent, diglyme comprises from about 30 volume percent to about 70 volume percent of the solvent mixture, the remainder comprising γ-butyrolactone.

36 . An electrochemical cell that is configured for expose to an autoclave environment, the electrochemical cell comprising:

a) a casing;

b) an anode comprising lithium;

c) a cathode comprising carbon monofluoride;

d) a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode to prevent them from direct physical contact with each other and to thereby form an electrode assembly disposed inside the casing; and

e) an electrolyte provided in the casing to activate the electrode assembly, the electrolyte comprising:

i) LiBF 4 ;

ii) γ-butyrolactone (GBL); and

iii) diglyme,

iv) wherein, by volume percent, the ratio of GBL:diglyme ranges from 45:55 to 55:45.

37 . The electrochemical cell of claim 36 wherein the cathode has a sandwich design comprising CF x and silver vanadium oxide (SVO).

38 . The electrochemical cell of claim 36 wherein the electrolyte has a dielectric constant of at least about 5.

39 . The electrochemical cell of claim 36 wherein the separator comprises polypropylene devoid of a surfactant.