Targeting new materials

An example of a new transition metal oxide fluoride, which was synthesized recently, is the high silver density material Ag₄V₂O₆F₂ (SVOF). Ag₂V₄O₁₁, or silver vanadium oxide (SVO), is used commercially as the cathode material in primary lithium batteries for high rate applications, such as those used in implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). A long-term goal of the medical battery industry is to increase the capacity of the cathode above 3 V while maintaining electrode stability. Owing to the high mole fraction of silver and the replacement of oxide with fluoride, SVOF has a higher capacity above 3 V of 148 mAh/g in comparison to 100 mAh/g in SVO and the upper discharge plateau at 3.5 V is 300 mV higher than the silver reduction potential of SVO. The electrochemical behavior of SVOF and the significant impact new materials such as SVOF may have on the future generation of primary lithium batteries for ICDs will be highlighted.