Effects of the structural characteristics of carbon cathode on the initial voltage delay in Li/SOCl2 battery

The study investigates electrochemical behaviors of Li/SOCl2 batteries based on structural features of carbon cathodes to find out solutions of initial voltage delay, a natural problem of the batteries. The structural features of the carbon cathodes in the Li/SOCl2 batteries are directly related to the transient minimum voltage (TMV) and the initial voltage delay, the inevitable fault in the batteries, and the study confirms possibilities to solve inherent problems of the batteries by structurally adjusting carbon cathodes. Low density of carbon cathodes inhibits the TMV increase, the initial voltage delay more than high density. The operating voltage of the battery may rise with increasing electronic conductivity of the carbon cathode, however, it fails to improve the TMV and the delay. The study shows that expanding carbon cathode volume shrinks a gap between the lithium and the carbon cathode, pressurizing and destroying passivation films, and improving the TMV and the initial voltage delay. Based on this, it is expected to manufacture excellent Li/SO2Cl2 batteries by improving the initial voltage delay as adjusting aging lapse and pressed density.