The batteries produced by Thales, use the Lithium - Thionylchloride (Li-SOCl₂) chemistry because of it's very high energy density. Designed as a reserve battery, the reactive components are stored separately to ensure long storage life of more than 20 years and rapid rise times to > 3V per cell even under high loads.

Lithium metal acts as anode while the liquid thionylchloride acts as both electrolyte and cathode material, discharging at a porous carbon electrode acting as current collector. During the cell reaction, Lithium metal dissolves in the electrolyte as lithium ions while at the surface of the carbon electrode thionylchloride is being discharged.

The open cell voltage for such a cell is 3.65V and it is capable of delivering high currents, even at temperatures as low as -40°C, where still more than 50% of its capacity is available.

In Thales lithium batteries the thionylchloride electrolyte is retained in a glass ampoule suspended in a special construction that allows the ampoule to break out of the suspension and shatter by a minimum acceleration of 1500 g up to 5000 g where higher flick ramming forces are present. In most applications the electrolyte distribution is enhanced by spin forces, but even without these forces, activation rise time is very short.

The stainless steel housing allows for flexible one cell or multi cell stacks of up to 9 cells in the present design. Parallel cell connection can handle even larger current densities. Customised designs using the Lithium thionyl chloride chemistry to fit your power source needs are possible upon request.

Recent design improvements have increased the drop resistance to withstand drops up to 5 metres and stilll achieve 100% activation at forces as low as 800 g.

Answering to the evolution on the battery market towards smaller, more efficient electronics requiring less energy, Thales is developing smaller, compact batteries. The design goals are minimized dimensions of 10 x 13 mm (smallest current dimensions 23 x 32 mm) delivering 9V under high spin conditions (up to 100.000 rpm) and high acceleration forces (up to 50.000 G)

The latest Thales developments and achievements in battery technology is presented at major technology fairs and symposia