High temperature molten salt thermal electrochemical cell

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A high temperature molten salt thermal electrochemical cell including a lithium-aluminum alloy as the anode, a cathode of cobalt oxide (Co.
sub.
3 O.
sub.
4) spaced from said anode, and a separator including lithium chloride-potasium chloride eutectic electrolyte in the space between said anode and said cathode.
2.
A high temperature molten salt thermal cell according to claim 1 wherein the lithium-aluminium alloy of the anode includes 48 atomic percent of lithium.
3.
A high temperature molten salt thermal cell according to claim 1 wherein the lithium chloride-potassium chloride eutectic electrolyte is 59 mole percent lithium chloride 41 mole percent potassium chloride.
4.
A high temperature molten salt thermal electrochemical cell including a lithium-aluminium alloy of 48 atomic percent of lithium as the anode,.
a cathode of cobalt oxide (Co.
sub.
3 O.
sub.
4) spaced from said anode, and a separator including 59 mole percent lithium chloride 41 mole percent potassium chloride eutectic electrolyte in the space between said anode and said cathode.
5.
A high temperature molten salt thermal electrochemical cell according to claim 4 wherein the cell is fabricated by stacking pellets of the anode, separator material containing the electrolyte and the cathode in between disks of molybdenum current collector.




Description:
This invention relates in general to a high temperature molten salt thermal electrochemical cell and in particular to such a cell including cobalt oxide (Co.
sub.
3 O.
sub.
4) as the cathode material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION High temperature molten salt thermal electrochemical cells are widely used as power sources for projectiles, rockets, bombs, mines, missiles, decoys, jammers and torpedoes.
They are also used as fuses.
Thermal electrochemical cells are reserve-type cells that can be activated by heating with a pyrotechnic heat source such as zirconium and barium chromate powders or mixtures of iron powder and potassium perchlorate