The Sodium∣Tin Liquid-Metal Cell

Preliminary studies of the liquid‐metal cell have shown it to possess promising characteristics for application to the conversion of thermal energy. Polarization effects commonly associated with electrochemical cells are essentially absent; charge‐discharge curves are straight lines passing through the open‐circuit intercept. The conductivity of the fused electrolyte, 2.3 mhos, provides for low internal losses. Nongalvanic losses occur causing an apparent loss of reactants to the extent of 0.018 amp/cm 2 . It is shown that a cell constructed of the materials and electrolyte employed in the study should allow operation at 0.7 amp/cm 2 at maximum power and that the coulombic efficiency would be 95% when continuously operated at this current density during balanced charge and discharge periods.