Our low-rate lithium/thionyl-chloride D cell is required to provide power continuously for up to 10 years. The cell was designed at Sandia National Laboratories and manufactured at Eagle-Picher Industries, Joplin, Missouri. We have conducted accelerated aging studies at elevated temperatures to predict long-term performance of cells fabricated in 1992. Cells using 1.0M LiAlCl(sub 4) electrolyte follow Arrhenius kinetics with an activation energy of 14.6 Kcal/mol. This results in an annual capacity loss to self-discharge of 0.13 Ah at 25 C. Cells using a 1.0M LiAlCl(sub 4)(sm bullet)SO(sub 2) electrolyte do not follow Arrhenius behavior. The performance of aged cells from an earlier fabrication lot is variable.
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