Raman spectroscopic studies of the structure of electrolytes used in the Li/SOCl2 battery

Abstract The importance of the Li/SOCl 2 cell using thionyl chloride as a liquid cathode has given rise to studies of the structure of the electrolytes used in this lithium cell. The electrolytes are made from LiAlCl 4 dissolved in SOCl 2 in which SO 2 is formed during the discharge process. This paper deals with a structural study, using Raman spectroscopy, of solutions of LiAlCl 4 in pure SOCl 2 and SO 2 , and in mixtures of both solvents. The complexes |Li(SOCl 2 ) 2 | + |AlCl 4 | − and |Li(SO 2 ) 3 | + |AlCl 4 | − were characterized at room temperature in the pure solvents SOCl 2 and SO 2 , respectively. In the ternary system LiAlCl 4 SOCl 2 SO 2 the existence of |Li(SO 2 , SOCl 2 )| + |AlCl 4 | − was established.