Abstract: An improved secondary battery or cell of the type having (A) one or more anodic reaction zones containing a molten alkali metal reactant-anode in electrical contact with an external circuit, (B) one or more cathodic reaction zones containing (i) a cathodic reactant which, when the battery or cell is in the theoretically fully charged state, consists of sulfur and which, when the battery or cell is at least partially discharged, is selected from the group consisting of (a) a single phase composition comprising a molten polysulfide salt of said anodic reactant and (b) a two phase composition comprising molten sulfur and molten sulfur saturated polysulfide salts of said anodic reactant and (ii) an electrode of porous conductive material which is at least partially immersed in said cathodic reactant, and (c) a cation-permeable barrier to mass liquid transfer interposed between and in contact with said anodic and cathodic reaction zones, said porous, conductive material being in electrical contact with both said c

Abstract: An improved secondary battery or cell of the type having (A) one or more anodic reaction zones containing a molten alkali metal reactant-anode in electrical contact with and external circuit, (B) one or more cathodic reaction zones containing (i) a cathodic reactant which, when the battery or cell is in the theoretically fully charged state, consists of sulfur and which, when the battery or cell is at least partially discharged, is selected from the group consisting of (a) a composition comprising a molten polysulfide salt of said anodic reactant and (b) a composition comprising molten sulfur and molten sulfur saturated polysulfide salts of said anodic reactant and (ii) an electrode of porous conductive material which is at least partially immersed in said cathodic reactant, and (C) a cation-permeable barrier to mass liquid transfer interposed between and in contact with said anodic and cathodic reaction zones, said porous, conductive material being in electrical contact with both said cation-permeable barrie

Abstract: An improved electrical conversion device of the type comprising: (1) an anodic reaction zone containing a molten alkali metal reactant-anode in electrical contact with an external circuit; (2) a cathodic reaction zone containing a cathodic reactant comprising a liquid electrolyte which is electrochemically reactive with said anodic reactant and an electrode of porous conductive material which is at least partially immersed in said cathodic reactant; and (3) a cation-permeable barrier to mass liquid transfer interposed between and in contact with said anodic and cathodic reaction zones, said porous conductive material being in electrical contact with both said cation-permeable barrier and an external circuit; the improvement of the invention comprising a modification of the cathodic reaction zone of the device such that there are a plurality of channels and/or spaces within the zone which are free of the porous conductive material and which in combination with said porous conductive material are adapted to all