Nonaqueous Lithium-Bromine Secondary Galvanic Cell

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Abstract
A nonaqueous secondary cell consists of a negative lithium electrode and a positive bromine electrode. This combination is made possible by the use of an ultrafine, porous polyethylene separator. It reduces the diffusion of bromine to the lithium electrode to tolerable levels. The cell was tested with 90 min charge‐discharge cycles. Based on the utilization of lithium deposited on the anode, the current efficiency was 90% for the first 100 cycles, 70% up to cycle 300, and above 30% for the duration of the cell life of 1785 cycles. Self‐discharge was sufficiently slow so that an open‐circuit stand up to 2 hr did not show appreciable loss of charge. The over‐all cell mechanism is complex. It consists of the interaction of the electrode reactions, the propylene carbonate solution properties, and the effect of the porous separator. Within this framework a bromine shuttle mechanism has been identified which explains the long life of the cell in spite of a small but measurable self‐discharge.

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