Modern Batteries with Lithium Anodes

A glance at the periodic table of the elements shows lithium in third place after hydrogen and helium, which means that it is the lightest solid element. Besides this, in the electrochemical series of elements, with its high potential of -3.045 V it occupies an extreme position and is thus better suited for use as an electrode material than any other element. The development work of the last 10 years has been concerned with the search for more than some hundred combinations of suitable positive electrode materials. The paper gives a general picture of the position of conventional battery systems in comparison with the various in different groups classified lithium systems, and names the lithium primary systems, which have now reached such a high level of sophistication that they have achieved practical significance on the market and in modern telecommunication systems. The weak points that still exist are mentioned. This unique behaviour is the reason, that a small thionyl chloride cell is used in Germany and Austria to provide power in many hundred thousand new Comfort 82 telephones.