LITHIUM ANODE PROPERTIES IN A NONAQUEOUS CELL

The use of alkali and alkaline earth metals as anodic materials in combination with nonaqueous electrolytes has been of increasing interest because of the high theoretical value of the energy per unit of weight. This paper reports on studies of anode polarization for the cell system Li/1. 0M AlCl//3 in propylene carbonate/AgCl. This study indicates that the discharge of a lithium anode in an AlCl//3- propylene carbonate electrolyte can be severely affected by a build- up of product LiCl at the anode surface. Sufficient electrolyte to dissolve the product or stirring of the electrolyte which mechanically removes the productfrom the surface, eliminates the servere polarization effect. A simplified model of diffusion through a porous product layer has been advanced to attempt to describe the observed polarization effects.