Thermal batteries use inorganic salt as electrolyte, which is inactive at room temperature. As soon as heat pellets are fired by an igniter, all the solid electrolytes are instantly melted into excellent ionic conductors. However, the abnormal heat generation by the igniter flame or heat pellets causes the thermal decomposition of the electrode and the melting of the anode, eventually leading to a thermal runaway, which results in overheating or explosion. The thermal runaway can be significantly reduced by the adoption of Zr/BaCrO4 heat papers. In this study, the heat papers with various ratios of fuel (Zr) and oxidizer (BaCrO4) were prepared by the paper-making process. We have investigated the calorimetric value, burning rate, and ignition sensitivity. The ignition test of heat pellets and the discharge test of thermal batteries were also carried out. At the composition of 40 wt.% of Zr, the heat papers showed the highest specific calorimetric value and burning rate. As a result, Zr/BaCrO4 heat paper made by the paper-making process has shown the applicability for thermal batteries.
