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Enhanced Electrochemical Properties of Lithium-Bismuth Liquid Metal Battery Via the Introduction of Tellurium Cathode Materials

Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Ballroom 6ABC (Washington State Convention Center)
J. Lee, J. S. Yeo, E. J. Yoo, and I. Seo (Agency for Defense Development)
Large-scale energy storage technology is of vital importance as a result of energy demand from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind. Recently, liquid metal battery as a large-scale stationary energy storage system has attracted much attention due to the inherent advantages of long lifetime, low cost, and facile battery fabrication. Liquid metal battery is composed of three liquid layers that are self-segregated on the basis of their density differences and mutual immiscibility. Most of researches into liquid metal battery are now focused on lithium anode based battery cell due to a low melting point (181°C) of lithium, its low solubility into molten salts, and extremely high ionic conductivities and relatively low melting points (350-430°C) of lithium halides electrolyte. The low melting point of lithium based materials is attributable to reduce the cell operating temperature below 550°C. X. Ning et al. have reported lithium-bismuth (Li‖Bi) liquid metal battery operating at a temperature of 550°C which exhibits a median discharge voltage of 0.67 V. To facilitate the use of lithium anode based liquid metal battery, it is necessary to increase a median battery operating voltage which is determined by anode-cathode material combinations. This study investigated the effects of tellurium (Te) as cathode materials on the electrochemical properties (energy efficiency and cyclability) of lithium-bismuth liquid metal battery. Microstructural and phase analysis of positive electrode using SEM and XRD was performed to investigate alloying and de-alloying reactions.