Abstract: Negative sintered foil electrodes for gas-tight Ni/Cd storage batteries can be provided with a specific discharge reserve by subjecting them to a partial chemical reduction before they are installed. This is performed upon the moving, impregnated sinter tape by immersing it in or spraying it with a strongly reducing agent dissolved in water or any other solvent, preferably alkali boranate. In a subsequent drying step, the Cd so formed is permanently fixed and protected through intentional surface oxidation.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell having two electrodes of opposite polarity cooperating with an electrolyte solution to produce an electrical potential there between during normal operation, configured to minimize explosions upon forced discharge or charging by locating at least a portion of one electrode in close proximity to the other electrode such that a low impedance path is created between the two electrode surfaces whereby the quantity of externally imposed current flowing through the main body of the cell is minimized. In a preferred embodiment, portions of the two electrodes have contiguous surfaces spaced from each other by a porous separator material with the surfaces chosen to allow plating dendritic growth from one electrode to the other at potential differences below that at which electrolysis occurs.

Abstract: Rechargeable cell, which is sealed from the external atmosphere, having a negative electrode of, for example, LaNi.sub.5 or an intermetallic compound derived therefrom wherein the negative electrode has a greater quantity of electrochemically active compound than the positive electrode. When the positive electrode is in the fully discharged state, the excess quantity of active compound at the negative electrode is partly in the charged state (that is to say, being partly in the hydride form.).

Abstract: The negative precharge of a sealed nickel-cadmium battery cell is reduced and the uncharged negative capacity is correspondingly increased to increase the overcharge protection of the cell by overdischarging the cell at a relatively high rate and reacting hydrogen evolved in the cell during such overdischarge with a hydrogen getter which forms a hydride with the hydrogen to prevent excessive hydrogen pressure buildup in the cell.

Abstract: Rechargeable cell, which is sealed from the external atmosphere, having a negative electrode of, for example, LaNi.sub.5 or an intermetallic compound derived therefrom wherein the negative electrode has a greater quantity of electrochemically active compound than the positive electrode. When the positive electrode is in the fully discharged state, the excess quantity of active compound at the negative electrode is partly in the charged state (that is to say, being partly in the hydride form).

Abstract: A sealed, rechargeable electrochemical cell in which a hermetically sealed glass casing completely surrounds an electrode assembly comprised of anode and cathode electrodes containing electrochemically active material, and a porous electrolyte absorbent separator between and in contact with each of the electrodes, the electrolyte absorbed in the separator being present in an amount not exceeding the separator capacity, the seal being effected at terminal conductors extending through the casing wall from the electrodes at the interior of the cell.

Abstract: A method for precharging the negative electrode of a nickel-cadmium alkaline storage cell whose electrodes are assembled in an at least partially discharged state, wherein before the first charge of the cell, a calculated quantity of a material is introduced in the cell, such material being irreversibly oxidizable in an alkaline medium at a potential such that it is anodically oxidized before nickel hydroxide without evolving any gas, then the cell is charged in the normal way. The material preferably is an organic material of the general formula C.sub.x H.sub.y O.sub.z ; most preferably where x=n, y=2n+2, and z=1, with n less than 4. This particular class of materials comprises the three saturated mono-alcohols: methanol, ethanol and propanol.

Abstract: Excessive hydrogen pressure buildup in a sealed nickel cadmium cell during overdischarge of the cell is avoided by adsorption of the evolved hydrogen on an exposed catalyst (c) embodied in the negative cadmium electrode and combination of the adsorbed hydrogen and the active medium of the negative electrode according to the reactionsH.sub.2 + (c) .fwdarw. 2H(c)2H(c) + Cd(OH).sub.2 .fwdarw. 2H.sub.

Abstract: The rechargeable cell comprises a cathode formed from a compressed mixture of manganese dioxide particles, electrically conductive particles and a binder; an anode separated from the cathode and containing amalgamated metallic zinc particles on an electrically conductive carrier in an amount sufficient to provide a limited anode discharge capacity of about one-third of the cathode capacity; an aqueous alkaline electrolyte; and a charge reserve mass comprising an oxide or hydroxide of zinc in an amount sufficient to provide a charge reserve capacity for said cell equal to at least 50 percent of the anode discharge capacity.

Abstract: The weight of the negative active mass is below 80% of the positive active mass.Preferably there is one more positive than negative plates.

Abstract: The novel cell uses silver oxides as positive electrode material and iron as negative electrode material in an alkaline electrolyte with the silver oxides being reduced to mainly metallic silver during the discharge of the cell. This cell is sealed so as to bring the gases developed in the cell into contact with the negative as well as the positive material thus eliminating the gases. This new sealed alkaline cell gives outstanding performance with respect to energy and power density and cycling life.

Abstract: Alkaline batteries are described in which a special electrode is incorporated in the positive electrode in order to give added protection against electrochemical damage due to battery reversal. This special electrode contains a hydrogen-absorbing material which also acts as a hydrogen electrode for the conversion of hydrogen ions into elemental hydrogen. Such alkaline batteries are particularly well protected against hydrogen overpressure due to battery reversal with only a small penalty in energy density. Particularly suitable for this application is the use of a hydrogen-absorbing material with nominal formula LnM.sub.5 in which Ln represents a lanthanide metal and M is either cobalt or nickel.