(457h) Material Property Study of Thermal Battery Components

The aim of this work is to enhance the knowledge base of material properties that characterize thermal battery performance under non-operating and operating conditions, the latter presenting elevated temperature, vibration, shock and acceleration levels typical of both tactical and strategic applications. Though sophisticated electrical and thermal models to guide some portions of the design of thermal batteries have been developed, some portions needed to integrate mechanical performance with chemical and electrical behavior have been lacking.

In order to enhance and refine modeling and design tools, multiple physical properties of the thermal battery components must be known. Key component physical properties being determined include: the storage modulus, thermal expansion, and coefficient of friction. The components of the thermal battery being examined comprehensively, including electrodes, separators, insulation, and canister materials. This paper identifies the gaps in available data for thermal battery modeling and presents new results for battery component materials from ambient to elevated temperatures.