Abstract
A new thermal battery cathode material, synthetic 
, has been developed as an alternative to the naturally occurring pyrite. The discharge behavior, thermal stability, and surface chemistry of the synthetic pyrite were evaluated by single‐cell studies, thermogravimetry (TG), and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Isothermal and nonisothermal TG methods were used to elucidate the kinetics of pyrite decomposition. The controlling mechanism of the decomposition process and the decomposition rate of 
at various temperatures were investigated. Synthetic pyrite undergoes thermal decomposition more slowly than natural pyrite of equivalent particle size. Synthetic 
of high purity and having uniform physical and chemical properties may provide a solution to the problems of nonavailability and variable quality of the presently used natural material.