Abstract: A battery includes a fluid negative electrode and a fluid positive electrode separated by a solid electrolyte at least when the electrodes and electrolyte are at an operating temperature. The solid electrolyte comprises a salt formed by ions of the negative electrode material forming the fluid negative electrode. In one example, the fluid negative electrode comprises lithium (Li), the fluid positive electrode comprises sulfur (S) and the solid electrolyte comprises lithium iodide (LiI).

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and positive electrode reservoir configured to contain a positive electrode material. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the positive electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A battery includes a fluid negative electrode and a fluid positive electrode separated by a solid electrolyte at least when the electrodes and electrolyte are at an operating temperature. The solid electrolyte comprises a mixture of a plurality of salts with at least one of the salts having cations of the negative electrode material. Each of the plurality of salts has a proportion in the mixture where the proportions determine an absolute melting point of the mixture such that the solid electrolyte is in a solid state at least within the operating temperature range of the apparatus. In one example, the fluid negative electrode comprises lithium (Li), the fluid positive electrode comprises sulfur (S) and at least one of the salts comprises lithium cations.

Abstract: A battery includes a fluid negative electrode and a fluid positive electrode separated by a solid electrolyte reinforced by a reinforcing structure where the electrodes are molten and the solid electrolyte is solid at least at an operating temperature. The reinforcing structure includes at least one component positioned between the solid electrolyte and one of the fluid electrodes and includes an open structure that allows fluid electrode material to extend through the component to contact the solid electrolyte. In one example, the fluid negative electrode comprises lithium (Li), the fluid positive electrode comprises sulfur (S) and the solid electrolyte comprises lithium iodide (LiI).

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

Abstract: Performance of a thermal lithium battery is improved by improving the ion-transport characteristics of a solid lithium iodide electrolyte. The lithium iodide lattice of the solid electrolyte includes defects that improve the ion-transport characteristics of the solid lithium iodide electrolyte. In one example, the defects are due to the introduction of nanoparticles that result in grain boundary defects. The defects resulting at the grain boundaries with the nanoparticles improve the ion transport characteristics of the electrolyte. In another example, defects originating from the synthesis process are pinned by the presence of nanoparticles and/or the reinforcing structure. In another example, the defects are aliovalent substitution defects. A cation that is aliovalent to the lithium cation (Li+), such as a barium cation (Ba2+), creates an aliovalent substitution defect in the lithium iodide lattice.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. A heating system is configured to heat negative electrode material within the at least one negative electrode material reservoir and the reaction chamber and to heat positive electrode material in reaction chamber. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A battery includes a fluid negative electrode and a fluid positive electrode separated by a solid electrolyte at least when the electrodes and electrolyte are at an operating temperature. The solid electrolyte comprises a salt formed by ions of the negative electrode material forming the fluid negative electrode. In one example, the fluid negative electrode comprises lithium (Li), the fluid positive electrode comprises sulfur (S) and the solid electrolyte comprises lithium iodide (LiI).

Abstract: A battery includes a fluid negative electrode and a fluid positive electrode separated by a solid electrolyte at least when the electrodes and electrolyte are at an operating temperature. The solid electrolyte includes ions of the negative electrode material forming the fluid negative electrode and has a softness less than beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) ceramics. In one example, the fluid negative electrode comprises lithium (Li), the fluid positive electrode comprises sulfur (S) and the solid electrolyte comprises lithium iodide (LiI).

Abstract: A lithium or sodium battery includes a cathode containing manganese; an anode containing an active anode material; a separator; an electrolyte; and a transition metal ion sequestration agent; wherein the transition metal ion sequestration agent contains a micron or nano-sized inorganic compound and the transition metal ion sequestration agent is located at the anode, in the electrolyte, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A battery includes negative electrode material and positive electrode material where the materials are in a solid phase except for selected portions that are heated to transform the selected portions into a fluid. The fluid portion of negative electrode material is directed to a negative electrode region of a reaction chamber and the fluid portion of positive electrode material is directed to a positive electrode region of the reaction chamber where a solid electrolyte containing ions of the negative electrode separates the positive electrode region from the negative electrode region.

Abstract: A lithium or sodium battery includes a cathode containing manganese; an anode containing an active anode material; a separator; an electrolyte; and a transition metal ion sequestration agent; wherein the transition metal ion sequestration agent contains a micron or nano-sized inorganic compound and the transition metal ion sequestration agent is located on and/or within the separator; on and/or within the anode; in the electrolyte; or any combination thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. A heating system is configured to heat negative electrode material within the at least one negative electrode material reservoir and the reaction chamber and to heat positive electrode material in reaction chamber. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of negative electrode reservoirs configured to contain a negative electrode material, at least one positive electrode reservoir configured to contain a positive electrode material and a reaction chamber. A heating system is configured to heat negative electrode material within a selected negative electrode material reservoir and to heat positive electrode material in the at least one positive electrode material reservoir to maintain the electrode materials in the selected reservoirs in a fluid state while maintaining, in a non-fluid state, negative electrode material in a non-selected negative electrode reservoir. An electrode material distribution system is configured to transfer, during a discharge state of the apparatus, fluid negative electrode material from the selected negative electrode reservoir to the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A thermal battery includes a negative electrode and a positive electrode separated from the negative electrode by an electrolyte where at least the positive electrode is in a fluid state at the operating temperature of the battery. A solid product isolation system decreases the concentration of solid products within the fluid positive electrode at least within the region near the electrolyte.

Abstract: Performance of a thermal lithium battery is improved by improving the ion-transport characteristics of a solid lithium iodide electrolyte. The lithium iodide lattice of the solid electrolyte includes defects that improve the ion-transport characteristics of the solid lithium iodide electrolyte. In one example, the defects are due to the introduction of nanoparticles that result in grain boundary defects. The defects resulting at the grain boundaries with the nanoparticles improve the ion transport characteristics of the electrolyte. In another example, defects originating from the synthesis process are pinned by the presence of nanoparticles and/or the reinforcing structure. In another example, the defects are aliovalent substitution defects. A cation that is aliovalent to the lithium cation (Li+), such as a barium cation (Ba2+), creates an aliovalent substitution defect in the lithium iodide lattice.

Abstract: Performance of a thermal lithium battery is improved by improving the ion-transport characteristics of a solid lithium iodide electrolyte. The lithium iodide lattice of the solid electrolyte includes defects that improve the ion-transport characteristics of the solid lithium iodide electrolyte. In one example, the defects are due to the introduction of nanoparticles that result in grain boundary defects. The defects resulting at the grain boundaries with the nanoparticles improve the ion transport characteristics of the electrolyte. In another example, defects originating from the synthesis process are pinned by the presence of nanoparticles and/or the reinforcing structure. In another example, the defects are aliovalent substitution defects. A cation that is aliovalent to the lithium cation (Li+), such as a barium cation (Ba2+), creates an aliovalent substitution defect in the lithium iodide lattice.

Abstract: A thermal runaway mitigation system cools fluid electrode material in a thermal battery to prevent a thermal runaway in the thermal battery. In response to a thermal runaway trigger, the thermal runway prevention system cools at least one of the fluid positive electrode material and the fluid negative electrode material. In some situations, the fluid material electrode material is sufficiently cooled to place the electrode material in a solid state.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of negative electrode reservoirs configured to contain a negative electrode material, at least one positive electrode reservoir configured to contain a positive electrode material and a reaction chamber. A heating system is configured to heat negative electrode material within a selected negative electrode material reservoir and to heat positive electrode material in the at least one positive electrode material reservoir to maintain the electrode materials in the selected reservoirs in a fluid state while maintaining, in a non-fluid state, negative electrode material in a non-selected negative electrode reservoir. An electrode material distribution system is configured to transfer, during a discharge state of the apparatus, fluid negative electrode material from the selected negative electrode reservoir to the reaction chamber.