Abstract: Batteries and methods of making batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a battery includes a housing, a positive electrode comprising a copper material in the housing, a negative electrode in the housing, a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution comprising soluble aluminum in the housing. A method of making a battery can include providing a positive electrode comprising a copper material into a housing, adding a material comprising aluminum to an electrolytic solution, and adding the electrolytic solution into the housing.

Abstract: A method employing oxide film conversion coatings prepared using ferrate (VI) as the oxidizing agent is disclosed. Metal substrates or surfaces, such as aluminum, aluminum alloys or other metals, are contacted with an aqueous solution comprising ferrate (VI) anions to form a corrosion resistant conversion coating on the surface thereof. The ferrate anion concentration is preferably between about 0.0166% and about 1.66% by weight. The coating process is carried out by dipping, spraying, or painting at temperatures ranging from 25° C. to 100° C. for a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 5 minutes.

Abstract: The cathode of an alkaline battery can include an electrically conductive additive to increase the cathode efficiency. The additive can include a barium salt and an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material can be coated on a surface of the barium salt. The electrically conductive material can be an electrically conductive metal oxide.

Abstract: Batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a battery has a cathode that includes CuxMyOzXt, where M is a metal, X includes one or more halides and/or nitrate, x+y is from about 6.8 to about 7.2, and z and t are selected so that the copper in CuxMyOzXt has a formal oxidation state of +2 or greater.

Abstract: A battery includes a separator with a trapping layer that traps dissolved metal ions.

Abstract: A primary lithium cell having an anode comprising lithium and a cathode comprising electrochemically active material selected from silver copper oxides having the formula AgCuO2 or Ag2Cu2O3 or mixtures thereof. The cathode can include a manganese dioxide in admixture with said silver copper oxides. The cell exhibits higher capacity and energy output than conventional lithium cells having an anode comprising lithium and cathode comprising manganese dioxide.

Abstract: A battery includes a cathode having an oxide containing one or more metals and pentavalent bismuth, an anode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an alkaline electrolyte. The metal(s) can be an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and/or a main group metal. The separator can be ion-selective or capable of substantially preventing soluble bismuth ionic species from diffusing from the cathode to the anode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conversion coating solution containing polymetalates and/or heteropolymetalates to oxidize the surface of various metal substrates. The polymetalates have the general formula MxOyn?, where M is selected from the group comprising Mo, V and W. The heteropolymetalates have the general formula BMxOyn?, where B is a heteroatom selected from P, Si, Ce, Mn or Co, and M is again selected from Mo, V, W or combinations thereof. The concentration of polymetalates and/or heteropolymetalates anions is preferably between about 1% and about 5% by weight. Examples of typical anions used include, but are not limited to, (PMo12O40)3?, (PMo10V2O40)5?, (MnPW11O39)5?, (PW12O40)3?, (SiMo12O40)4?, (SiW12O40)4?, (Mo7O24)6?, (CeMo12O42)8? and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Batteries and methods of making batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a battery includes a housing, a positive electrode comprising a copper material in the housing, a negative electrode in the housing, a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution comprising soluble aluminum in the housing. A method of making a battery can include providing a positive electrode comprising a copper material into a housing, adding a material comprising aluminum to an electrolytic solution, and adding the electrolytic solution into the housing.

Abstract: An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising silver copper oxide AgCuO2, or Ag2Cu2O3, desirably in admixture with MnO2. The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphtic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers.

Abstract: An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising silver copper oxide selected from the compounds AgCuO2 Ag2Cu2O3 or any mixture thereof. The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphitic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers.

Abstract: A primary lithium cell having an anode comprising lithium and a cathode comprising electrochemically active material selected from silver copper oxides having the formula AgCuO2 or Ag2Cu2O3 or mixtures thereof. The cathode can include a manganese dioxide in admixture with said silver copper oxides. The cell exhibits higher capacity and energy output than conventional lithium cells having an anode comprising lithium and cathode comprising manganese dioxide.

Abstract: An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising silver copper oxide selected from the compounds AgCuO2 Ag2Cu2O3 or any mixture thereof. The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphitic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers.

Abstract: An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising silver copper oxide AgCuO2, or Ag2Cu2O3, desirably in admixture with MnO2. The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphtic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conversion coating solution containing polymetalates and/or heteropolymetalates to oxidize the surface of various metal substrates. The polymetalates have the general formula MxOyn−, where M is selected from the group comprising Mo, V and W. The heteropolymetalates have the general formula BMxOyn−, where B is a heteroatom selected from P, Si, Ce, Mn or Co, and M is again selected from Mo, V, W or combinations thereof. The concentration of polymetalates and/or heteropolymetalates anions is preferably between about 1% and about 5% by weight. Examples of typical anions used include, but are not limited to, (PMo12O40)3−, (PMo10V2O40)5−, (MnPW11O39)5−, (PW12O40)3−, (SiMo12O40)4−, (SiW12O40)4−, (Mo7O24)6−, (CeMo12O42)8−and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method employing oxide film conversion coatings prepared using ferrate (VI) as the oxidizing agent is disclosed. Metal substrates or surfaces, such as aluminum, aluminum alloys or other metals, are contacted with an aqueous solution comprising ferrate (VI) anions to form a corrosion resistant conversion coating on the surface thereof. The ferrate anion concentration is preferably between about 0.0166% and about 1.66% by weight. The coating process is carried out by dipping, spraying, or painting at temperatures ranging from 25° C. to 100° C. for a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 5 minutes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conversion coating solution containing polymetalates and/or heteropolymetalates to oxidize the surface of various metal substrates. The polymetalates have the general formula MxOyn−, where M is selected from the group comprising Mo, V and W. The heteropolymetalates have the general formula BMxOyn−, where B is a heteroatom selected from P, Si, Ce, Mn or Co, and M is again selected from Mo, V, W or combinations thereof. The concentration of polymetalates and/or heteropolymetalates anions is preferably between about 1% and about 5% by weight. Examples of typical anions used include, but are not limited to, (PMo12O40)3−, (PMo10V2O40)5−, (MnPW11O39)5−, (PW12O40)3−, (SiMo12O40)4−, (SiW12O40)4−, (Mo7O24)6−, (CeMo7O24)8−and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method employing oxide film conversion coatings prepared using ferrate (VI) as the oxidizing agent is disclosed. Metal substrates or surfaces, such as aluminum, aluminum alloys or other metals, are contacted with an aqueous solution comprising ferrate (VI) anions to form a corrosion resistant conversion coating on the surface thereof. The ferrate anion concentration is preferably between about 0.0166% and about 1.66% by weight. The coating process is carried out by dipping, spraying, or painting at temperatures ranging from 25° C. to 100° C. for a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 5 minutes.

Abstract: A conversion coating solution and process forms a stable and corrosion-resistant layer on metal substrates or layers or, more preferably, on a boehmite layer or other base conversion coating. The conversion coating process involves contacting the substrate, layer or coating with an aqueous alkali metal isomolybdate solution in order to convert the surface of the substrate, layer or coating to a stable conversion coating. The aqueous alkali metal molybdates are selected from sodium molybdate (Na2MoO4), lithium molybdate (Li2MoO4), potassium molybdate (K2MoO4), or combinations thereof, with the most preferred alkali metal molybdate being sodium molybdate. The concentration of alkali metal molybdates in the solution is preferably less than 5% by weight.

Abstract: A conversion coating process that forms a stable and corrosion-resistant oxide layer on metal or metal oxide substrates or layers. Particularly, the conversion coating process involves contacting the metal or metal oxide substrate or layer with the aqueous calcium hydroxide solutions in order to convert the surface of the substrate to a stable metal oxide layer or coating. According to the present invention, the calcium hydroxide solution is prepared by removing carbon dioxide from water or an aqueous solution before introducing the calcium hydroxide. In this manner, formation of calcium carbonate particles is avoided and the porosity of the conversion coating produced by the calcium hydroxide solution is reduced to below about 1%.