SBIR-STTR Award

US Army seeks to develop thermal batteries that are lower in cost, improved in electrochemical performance, and can be made in three-dimensional shapes. Currently, thermal batteries are manufactured in low volume and not cost effective process. The major components, electrodes and electrolytes, are pressed pellets, which need extra thickness to avoid cracking and cannot be used for mass production. US Nanocorp, Inc. ('USN') proposes a new film fabrication technique to make the sandwich three layer cells to address Army’s request for improvement on thermal battery production. In the new cell production techniques, anode film will be made via porous nickel thermal spray coating and loaded with Li-metal to form a Li-Ni (Fe) composite film with required solidity at thermal battery working temperature. Cathode and electrolyte/separator will be thermal sprayed serially on graphoil sheets and cut into required shape and size. The process is feasible for automation and mass production. Another advantage is that the proposed film/membrane can be cut to any shape and size without dimension limitation. This program is highly feasible with USN’s extensive experience on materials and thin film coatings combined with Advanced Thermal Batteries, Inc ('ATB') thermal battery manufacture experience.

Benefits:
Successful investigation of the new form thermal batteries will make their manufacture low cost, reliable and producible and provide potential for developing three-dimension shape reserve power sources for all types of military applications and potential civilian applications such as missiles, ejection seats of aircrafts. Further development in this technology may widen its applications on, aircraft black boxes, emergency power suppliers, electric vehicles, electric power ships, etc.

Keywords:
Thermal batteries, thermal spray, plasma, electrolytes, cells, electrodes, film, membrane

In US Army Phase I SBIR program, “Thin Film Thermal Batteries”, US Nanocorp, Inc (USN) developed thin film thermal battery components including cathodes/separators and anodes. The electric performances of thermal cells have been improved greatly with thin film components. Furthermore, with the thin film components, thermal cells/batteries are able to be manufactured in conformal geometry and high efficiency. The achievements of Phase I program have laid technical foundation for the Phase II program. The purpose of phase II program is to develop a prototype thin film thermal battery for the US Army’s applications, such as, Common Smart Submunitions (“CSS”). The thin film techniques will improve the current thermal batteries in terms of energy density, power density, geometrical conformability, and manufacture efficiency. The objective will be realized by conducting the following investigation works: (1). Optimization of cathode /separator composite thin films; (2). Development and improvement of thin film Li-Ni and Li-Al anodes; (3). Thermal modeling and high-g package design; (4). Prototype design and fabrication with thin film components; (5). Performance evaluation of the prototype thermal batteries. The proposed program builds on USN’s extensive experience in materials and thin films combined with Advanced Thermal Batteries, Inc (“ATB”)’s thermal battery manufacture experiences.

Keywords:
Thermal Batteries, Plasma Spray, Thin Film Electrolytes, Thermal Cells, Thin Film Electrodes.