Electrochemical behaviors in low-cost and environmentally stable SnS2: An alternative cathode with for high-power primary lithium batteries

Thermal batteries are widely used as the power sources in the field of aerospace and military applications, due to their high-power density and long storage life. Compared to the cubic transition metal disulfides, another hexagonal metal disulfide SnS2, is studied as a new cathode of thermal batteries. SnS2 exhibits good environmental and thermal stability, high electronic conductivity, good wettability, as well as high discharge voltage and rate capability. Its working voltage reaches 2.23 V under discharge current of 100 mA cm−2. During the discharge process, three distinct discharge steps are existed at a cut-off voltage of 1.5 V, as described followed: 1) 2SnS2+2Li++2e−=Sn2S3+Li2S; 2) Sn2S3+2Li++2e−=2SnS+Li2S; 3) SnS+2Li++2e−=Sn+Li2S. In conclusions, SnS2 is proved a most promising cathode material for thermal batteries, and can be widely used.