The project aimed to develop and test innovative manganese dioxide cathodes, with high energy density and good cyclic behaviour, for use in a rechargeable 150 V, polyethylene oxide-based solid polymer electrolyte lithium secondary battery prototype. This would make the lithium battery more efficient than other types of battery.
Due to their superior performance characteristics, low operating temperatures (90 C - 120 C) and relative cheapness, lithium batteries are one of the most promising candidates for use in battery-driven electric vehicles. In addition, manganese dioxide used as a lithium intercalculation compound already achieves experimental performances which meet the needs of the electric vehicle market. Firstly, such a combination increases the safety characteristics of the battery and enables a metallic lithium electrode to be used as the anode. This increases the batteries' energy density. Secondly, unlike other batteries which use toxic metals or reactive solvents, the materials used for the lithium/manganese dioxide battery are environmentally harmless and can be recycled. Thirdly, the optimisation of the cathode material offers potentially higher energy densities, perhaps up to as much as 150 Wh/kg in the near future. Finally, the costs of the materials are expected to remain within budget estimates (i.e. 150 ECU/kWh). Despite all these benefits, an optimised reversible phase stills remains to be developed.