SBIR-STTR Award

American Energy Technologies Co (Glenview, IL) will partner with Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA) in order to demonstrate tangible enhancement in performance of primary lithium carbon monofluoride (Li/CFx) battery chemistry. The objective is to devise a significantly improved version of the Li/CFx system, and based on it to determine the feasibility of developing a low drain battery that would operate in a wide temperature range of at least – 40 degrees C to + 85 degrees C; have a service life of 20 years; and meet all other specification requirements of the US Army. The improvements will be achieved through application of new and improved active materials, innovative electrolyte system, next generation carbon-based conductive diluents for the cathode and Titanium current collector coating, tailor-made composition of glass for the glass-to-metal seal and through other breakthrough changes in the cell-manufacturing technology. When commercialized, besides US Army application, cells are likely to find use in the outdoor gas meters and a number of other civilian applications.

Keywords:
Primary Lithium / Carbon Monofluoride Battery, Long Shelf Life, Low Current Density, High Volumetric Energy Density, Wide Temperature Range, Expanded Graphite, Conductive Coat

American Energy Technologies Co (Glenview, IL) will partner with Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA) in order to demonstrate tangible enhancement in performance of primary lithium carbon monofluoride (Li/CFx) battery chemistry. The objective is to develop fully functional prototypes of significantly improved version of the Li/CFx system, demonstrate through internal experimentation, and deliver for independent testing at AMRDEC a low drain battery that would operate in a wide temperature range from at least –45 degrees C to +90 degrees C; have a service life of 20+ years; and meet all other specification requirements of the AMRDEC. The improvements will be achieved through innovation of battery design (at the same time using standard size cell components), and through enhancement of chemistry inside the electrochemical cells. Chemistry will be improved by application of new and modified active materials, innovative electrolyte system, next generation carbon-based conductive diluents for the cathode, Titanium current collector coating, tailor-made coatings for the glass-to-metal and plastic-to-metal seals and through other breakthrough changes in the cell-manufacturing technology. Targeted partnerships with existing vendors of electronics systems to the US Armed Forces will be pursued as way of ensuring rapid commercialization of this technology.

Keywords:
Primary Lithium / Carbon Monofluoride Battery, Long Shelf Life, Low Current Density, High Volumetric Energy Density, Wide Temperature Range, Expanded Graphite, Conductive Coat ---------- Under SBIR Phase II Enhancement AMRDEC (M) Contract W31P4Q-10-C-0295, American Energy Technologies Co. (AETC) is focused on a primary battery with extended shelf-life targeted for Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS).Notable technical achievements include demonstration of an improved cylindrical cell Li/CFx-MnO2 chemistry with significant increase in power density and requisite low temperature performance that approaches the challenging LMAMS power and volume requirements.To overcome these remaining hurdles, AETC identified a novel true prismatic cell and accompanying battery design that can meet LMAMS physical and environmental parameters according to analysis.. The remaining technical objective is implementing a form-factored cell-level design that reduces Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) and improves battery performance, while retaining high energy and low temperature capability. The final product deliverable will represent a maintenance-free, safe, flight worthy, environmentally benign design.Application of new generation conductivity enhancement additives, along with the precise engineering of porosity in electrodes, and with other optimizations, is expected to boost systems projected power density to values comparable to those of lithium-ion and thermal reserve batteries.