Na—FeCl

1. A method comprising assembling a Na/FeCl 2 battery in a discharge state, the method including:

simultaneously mixing together (i) Fe powder, (ii) elemental sulfur and Na 2 S, and (iii) NaCl, wherein (ii) is present in an amount of less than 10 mol percent S, based on the total moles of (i), (ii) and (iii), and wherein prior to mixing with the elemental sulfur, Na 2 S and NaCl, the Fe powder comprises particles having a passivation layer, and mixing the Fe powder with the elemental sulfur, Na 2 S and NaCl removes at least a portion of the passivation layer;

forming the resulting mixture into a cathode, wherein the cathode does not include Ni;

introducing a catholyte into the cathode; and

coupling anode and electrolyte components with the cathode to form the Na/FeCl 2 battery.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing is performed at room temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Fe source (i) to NaCl(iii) has a mol % ratio of 0.5:1 to 2:1.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the Fe powder particles have an average particle size of less than 10 μm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the of Na 2 S/S has a mol % ratio of 1:1 to 1:7.

6. A method comprising assembling an electrochemical cell a Na/FeCl 2 battery in a discharge state, the method including:

simultaneously mixing together (i) Fe powder, (ii) Na 2 S 3 , and (iii) NaCl, wherein (ii) is present in an amount of less than 10 mol percent S, based on the total moles of (i), (ii) and (iii), and wherein prior to mixing with the Na 2 S 3 and NaCl, the Fe powder comprises particles having a passivation layer, and mixing the Fe powder with the Na 2 S 3 and NaCl removes at least a portion of the passivation layer;

forming the resulting mixture into a cathode, wherein the cathode does not include Ni;

introducing a catholyte into the cathode; and

coupling anode and electrolyte components with the cathode to form the Na/FeCl 2 battery.