Abstract: A nonaqueous battery includes a negative electrode containing a carbon material capable of absorbing/desorbing lithium, metallic lithium or an lithium alloy, a positive electrode containing a chalcogenide and a nonaqueous ionic conductor. The nonaqueous ionic conductor contains a diether compound having ether linkages at 1- and 3-positions, 1- and 4-positions or the 2- and 3-positions of a straight-chain hydrocarbon having four carbon atoms.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium secondary battery which has a large discharge capacity and good charge-discharge cycle characteristics comprising a negative electrode in which the lithium ion-occlusion material is an amorphous material consisting essentially of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 or an amorphous material consisting essentially of B.sub.2 O.sub.2 and an oxide whose cation-oxygen bond strength is smaller than 335 kJ/mole.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell has a silver vanadium oxide cathode material formed into a pellet shape which expands as the cell is discharged. A cathode current collector circumferentially surrounds the cathode pellet and is in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet to prevent peripheral cathode expansion. The peripheral cathode current collector maintains a stable cell impedance during cell discharge. The cell has a D-shaped housing in which the cathode is disposed adjacent to a first interior surface, and a lithium anode is disposed adjacent to a second interior surface.

Abstract: Solid composite electrolytes are provided for use in lithium batteries which exhibit moderate to high ionic conductivity at ambient temperatures and low activation energies. In one embodiment, a ceramic-ceramic composite electrolyte is provided containing lithium nitride and lithium phosphate. The ceramic-ceramic composite is also preferably annealed and exhibits an activation energy of about 0.1 eV.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a construction of an explosion-proof safety vent for small-size non-aqueous electrolyte batteries such as prismatic lithium-ion secondary batteries or with an oval cross section hence with a small area of seal plate, and to a method of producing a seal plate. It aims at securing safety of a battery by allowing an explosion-proof vent to operate without fail with a simple construction at no sacrifice of the capacity. In order to fulfill this aim, it provides an explosion-proof safety vent wherein upper peripheral edge of an opening of a bottomed cell container made of metal and the periphery of a seal plate made of metal are hermetically sealed by laser welding, a rivet serving as a terminal is inserted in a through hole provided on the central portion of the seal plate and hermetically fixed by crimping via a gasket, an exhaust hole is provided between the terminal and the periphery of the seal plate, and the exhaust hole is closed by a metal foil.

Abstract: A battery separator for use in flooded cell type lead acid batteries comprising a backweb of a porous, acid resistant, embossable material with a plurality of major ribs and submini-ribs extending from at least one planar surface of the backweb and a lesser plurality of stop-ribs extending from the other planar surface. Each major rib overlies at least one submini-rib and a number less than all of the major ribs overlies the stop-ribs. Each major rib is an embossed corrugated structure comprised of alternating ridges and furrows. The ridges and furrows are in non-parallel alignment to the longitudinal dimension of the separator, and preferably perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: A method for making a plurality of lead-acid cells requiring a constant width, a height varying from a maximum to a minimum to accommodate plates of varying height and a cell depth to accommodate a minimum to a maximum number of plates is disclosed which utilizes blow molding to form a jar precursor which is cut to the height desired, and, in its preferred aspects, including use of a mold and insert sets which simplify tooling and change-over time, as well as a cover and jar design which simplifies the heat sealing of these components.

Abstract: A method is provided of cleaning device surfaces for the metallization thereof by treating the surfaces in a chamber equipped for ionized physical vapor deposition or other plasma-based metal deposition process. The surfaces are plasma etched, preferably in a chamber in which the next metal layer is to be deposited onto the surfaces. Also or in the alternative, the surfaces are plasma etched with a plasma containing ions of the metal to be deposited. Preferably also, the etching process is followed by depositing a film of the metal, preferably by ionized physical vapor deposition, in the chamber. The metal may, for example, be titanium that is sputtered from a target within the chamber. The process of depositing the metal, where the metal is titanium, may, for example, be followed by the deposition of a titanium nitride layer.

Abstract: The dangers of short-circuiting and lithium metal plating during recharging of a unitary laminate lithium-ion intercalation battery cell are alleviated by trimming the periphery of the cell with a transverse slicing cut made at an angle from the perpendicular of the major plane surface of the cell. The resulting angled peripheral edges of the cell provides greater edge separation between electrode layers and reduces the occurrence of metal-plating accumulation of lithium ions at the edge surface of the negative electrode.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery with improved cycle life and self-discharge characteristics is disclosed. The battery comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte. For the separator, a material of a woven or nonwoven fabric sheet or a porous film of polyolefine resin of which surfaces have been modified with a hydrophilic compound having a carboxyl group by graft-polymerization. The quantity of carbonates inside the battery is regulated to 150 mg/Ah battery capacity. The quantity of carbonates inside the battery can be regulated to a minimum by optimizing graft polymerization and subsequent washing conditions.

Abstract: Batteries based on nanoparticles are demonstrated to achieve high energy densities. Vanadium oxide nanoparticles can have several different stoichiometries and corresponding crystal lattices. The nanoparticles preferably have average diameters less than about 150 nm. Cathodes produced using the vanadium oxide nanoparticles and a binder can be used to construct lithium batteries or lithium ion batteries. The nanoparticles may have energy densities greater than about 900 Wh/kg.

Abstract: A photopolymerizable composition, which contains a polymeric binder, a compound which can be polymerized by free radicals and has at least one terminal ethylenic double bond and a photoinitiator combination comprising an N-heterocyclic compound, a thioxanthone derivative and a dialkylamino compound, is highly photosensitive and produces photoresist stencils with vertical side walls.

Abstract: A jar can for a secondary battery is formed by deep-drawing a clad material prepared by bonding an aluminum sheet and an iron sheet to each other. A nickel layer is formed between the iron sheet and the aluminum sheet. Another nickel layer is formed on another surface of the iron sheet. Thus, a lightweight jar can for a secondary battery having high rigidity is obtained.

Abstract: An end cap seal assembly for an electrochemical cell such as an alkaline cell is disclosed. The end cap assembly comprises a convoluted end cap disk which may also function as a cell terminal and an underlying insulating disk also having a convoluted surface. The convoluted end cap disk has a downwardly extending wall with at least one aperture therethrough which preferably faces the ambient environment. The insulating disk has a downwardly extending wall forming a rupturable membrane which underlies and abuts the inside surface of the downwardly extending wall of the end cap. The rupturable membrane underlies and abuts the aperture in the downwardly extending wall of the end cap. When gas pressure within the cell exceeds a predetermined level the rupturable membrane pushes through said aperture and ruptures allowing gas to escape therefrom directly to the environment. A separate terminal plate may be welded to a portion of the top surface of the convoluted end cap.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of forming a pip protrusion at the closed end of a cylindrical casing of an electrochemical cell. The cell is preferably an alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, a cathode comprising manganese dioxide, and an alkaline electrolyte. The method of the invention is directed to forming the pip protrusion at the closed end of the casing so that the pip protrusion becomes an integral part of the casing. In an alkaline cell the pip protrusion becomes the cell's positive terminal. The method of the invention involves inserting cathode material into the casing through the open end thereof and then forcing an elongated plunger having a diameter less than the inside diameter of casing into the cathode material while providing means for preventing the cathode material form rising more than a predetermined level with the casing.

Abstract: A multi-source electrical drive system which includes an electrolysis cell for separating water into hydrogen and oxygen. The system further includes an oxygen storage device and a hydrogen storage device. The hydrogen, the oxygen storage device and the electrolysis cell are maintained at substantially the same elevated pressure. The system further includes a fuel cell system that includes a membrane electrode assembly, a base plate that includes a surface that is contactable with an electrode. The base plate includes a plurality of ribs that protrude from the surface that is contactable with an electrode.

Abstract: Thermal decomposition of a reactant, XY, proceeds on a negative catalytic electrode to form products, X and Y. The product Y is a cellular reaction material, which separates into ions, Y.sup.+, and electrons, e.sup.-, on the negative catalytic electrode. The ions Y.sup.+ move through a solid electrolyte, the electrons e.sup.- pass through an external resistor, and the product X formed on the negative catalytic electrode is circulated to the positive catalytic electrode, therefore reproducing the reactant XY. Since the cellular reaction material Y need not be released from the top of the catalytic electrode, the invention is adapted to convert heat energy into electric energy efficiently as compared with conventional methods. In one embodiment, reactant XY is 2-propanol, and products X and Y are acetone and hydrogen, respectively.

Abstract: A battery (10) contains a base portion (12) that is shaped generally rectangular parallelpiped. The bottom face (18) of the base portion (12) contains a raised notch portion (22) at the first end (14) of the base portion directly beneath an upper ledge (20) that extends along the perimeter of the first end. The first end (14) contains two keyed recesses (24) that extend from an upper ledge (20) to the notch portion (22) of the bottom face (18). A blade connector (26) is located between the two keyed recesses (24) at the intersection of the notch portion (22) and the first end (14). The bottom face (18) contains two apertures (28) for receiving pin shaped positive and negative cell terminals. The second end (16) contains a resiliently attached latch member (30). A corresponding battery well (40) contains opposite first and second ends (44) and (46), a bottom floor (48), and a rim portion (50) that extends along the first end.

Abstract: A self-inerting fuel cell system has a membrane/electrode assembly (MEA). A first fine pore plate is positioned at an anode side of the MEA and defines a fuel reactant flow field and a coolant flow field. A second fine pore plate is positioned at a cathode side of the MEA and defines an oxidant reactant flow field and a coolant flow field. A first means drives the fuel reactant flow field; a second means drives the oxidant flow field, and a third means drives the coolant flow field at a pressure less than that of the pressures of the reactant flow fields during on load operation of the fuel cell system. An air valve is coupled to an inlet or exit port of the oxidant flow field. A controller opens the air valve and activates the reactant and coolant flow fields during fuel cell operation, and closes the air valve and de-activates the reactant and coolant flow fields during fuel cell shut down which results in coolant flooding into the reactant flow fields to thereby inert the fuel cell system during shut down.

Abstract: A novel fuel cell design is provided having a combustion chamber manifold internal to a fuel cell stack and interfacing one or more anode passage outlets and cathode passage inlets. The combustion chamber is equipped to combine a primary source of oxidant gas with an anode exhaust stream and to combust the mixture, if desired, for use as fuel within the cathode passage. The fuel cell design also provides an external gas manifold for directing carrier gas to the cathode passages upstream of the cathode passage inlets for combining with the combustion chamber exhaust prior to entry into the cathode passages.