Markevych O. Ballast-free MoO3-electrode for lithium chemical power sources

Investigation object: electrochemical and diffusion processes proceeding in MoO3 matrix, in a contact with non-aqueous electrolytes conducting by lithium cations. The aim of investigation: development of the scientific basis of functioning a ballastless MoO3 electrode and using such electrode for creation of chemical power source with lithium negative electrode having increased specific energy characteristics. Investigation methods: galvanostatic cycling, cyclic voltammetry, method of electrode impedance, chronoamperometry, X-ray phase analysis, scanning electron microscopy. For the first time, it has been established that increasing concentration of defects in the structure of balastless MoO3 electrode, produced by the method of vacuum spraying, in comparison with the initial MoO3 powder, promotes increasing reversible specific electrochemical capacity. The value of reversible specific capacity of the film balastless MoO3 electrode is by about 20% higher than the value of the reversible specificcapacity of the composite MoO3 electrode. It is shown that increasing concentration of defects in the structure of electrode material promotes increasing lithium diffusion coefficient by 1-2 orders. Coating of the active layer surface of balastless MoO3 electrode with the film of solid glassy electrolyte increases both the primary and reversible electrochemical capacity. The prototypes of chemical power sources of disc (size 2325) and prismatic (15 x 15 x 4 mm dimension ) design with lithium anode, MoO3 cathode and aprotic electrolyte have been manufactured and tested. Energy characteristics of the manufactured cells exceed the data of the analogous cells produced by the leading world companies-manufacturers.