TAKASHI SAKAI, NOB~]IRO FURUKAWA, KOJI NISHIO, TETS~41 SUZUKI* and KAZUMI HASEGAWA* Research Center, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., 1-18-13 Hashiridani, Hirakata-shi, Osaka 573 (Japan) * Research Center, Mitsubishi Chemical Industries Limited, I000 Kamoshida-cbo, Midori-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 227 (Japan)
Conductive polymers are expected to be used as new electrode materials for light-weight secondary batteries. However , few reports so far have been presented about the application of conductive polymers to flat type cells. In this paper, charge-discharge characteristics of lithium cells using conductive polymer as the positive electrode are reported. In our experiment, chemically synthesized typical conductive polymers were mainly used in the form of pressed pellets. Lithium metal was used as the negative electrode and propylene carbonate containing lithium salt was employed as the electrolyte solution. Charge-discharge characteristics were tested first for glass test cells under 0.5mA constant curreut. Table I shows the results of the test in terms of coulombic efficiencies. Table I.
Coulombic efficiencies of conductive polymer cells
/ Then similar tests were carried out for L ,. i/l'?.:i flat type cells described in Fig. I. In this ~: case, good coulombic efficiencies over 92% and ~:#i~-:.i.~ self-discharge rates less than 2Z/day were \\I obtained. electrolyte These results suggest that couductive positive electrode polymers are promising for the positive electrode of secondary batteries. Fig. i. Structure of flat type cell l