Nano-FeS[sub 2] for Commercial Li/FeS[sub 2] Primary Batteries

The rate capability of lithium cells containing a nano- FeS 2 pyrite sample was compared to that of micrometer-sized FeS 2 under an active material loading equivalent to that of commercial lithium battery electrodes. The nano- FeS 2 sample had an average particle size of 0.5 μm and each particle consisted of nano- FeS 2 crystals on the order of 50 nm. The rate capability of nano- FeS 2 was superior to that of the FeS 2 electrodes with an average crystal size of 10 μm but no improvement was found relative to the FeS 2 electrodes having an average crystal size of 1 μm. The rate capability of commercial Li / FeS 2 batteries may be limited by the ion conductivity of the electrolyte when FeS 2 samples have crystal sizes smaller than 1 μm.