Abstract: The invention provides an electric cell having an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, and a membrane separating said compartments. The cell also has a peroxidation vessel in which sodium anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonate is peroxidized. The peroxide then decomposes to form a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and the anthraquinone oxide. This mixture is fed to the cathode compartment. When the electric cell is operated as a fuel cell, the anthraquinone oxide from the cathode compartment is conveyed to a reduction vessel in which it is reduced by contact with fuel. All or a portion of the reduced anthraquinone is then contacted with oxygen to form the anthraquinone oxide. The electric cell may also be utilized as a storage battery. The invention also includes the method of operating these electric cells.

Abstract: An electrode for use in an electrical energy storage device containing an aqueous metal halide electrolyte comprised of a surface on the electrode containing an electrolyte soluble binder with metallic particles contained therein so that during discharge the metal will be exposed as the binder dissolves, thereby allowing the metal to participate in the electrochemical reaction.

Abstract: A circulating electrolyte type battery is disclosed in which the cell containing two electrodes is divided into compartments by a porous separator and in which the outlet lines from the two compartments to the electrolyte storage reservoir have different resistance to electrolyte flow.

Abstract: A self sealing microporous membrane of utility especially in electrochemical cells of the gas-depolarized type comprising a microporous polymer membrane of a density range between about 0.7 and 1.9 grams per centimeter embodies a pressurized sealing zone of maximum density and zero porosity. Such pressurized zone is located to provide a seal against leakage of electrolyte.

Abstract: Apparatus for electrodepositing aluminum from aprotic, oxygen-free and water-free organo-aluminum electrolytes in which a heatable treatment tank is closed off in an airtight manner and contains a rotatable electroplating drum with a first heatable tank for storing an aprotic oxygen-free and water-free organo-aluminum electrolyte and a second tank for storing a rinsing liquid connected to the treatment tank.

Abstract: An electrolyte reservoir layer disposed behind and adjacent one of the catalyst layers of a fuel cell is porous and hydrophilic to the electrolyte. In one embodiment the reservoir layer includes impregnations of hydrophobic material on the catalyst facing surface thereof and holes leading from the other surface to the impregnations for providing reactant gas passages through the reservoir layer to the catalyst layer. The impregnations of hydrophobic material are designed to provide good distribution of the reactant gas into the catalyst layer without consuming a large volume of the reservoir. In a preferred embodiment the reservoir is also the electrode substrate whereby the catalyst layer is bonded to the surface thereof.

Abstract: In the compartments of the fuel cell are located intermediate elements leaving two free spaces of minimum volume in the vicinity of the two electrodes respectively, which delimit each compartment. These two free spaces extend substantially over the whole area of the electrodes and the intermediate elements are provided with perforations for ionic conduction between the two free spaces.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the electrolyte level and electrolyte concentration of fuel cell batteries, which comprises an electrolyte vessel and a tube, open on both sides and having an overflow at a distance h from its lower end, with its lower end immersed in the electrolyte vessel and the reaction water depleted in the fuel cell battery supplied to its upper end, in which apparatus h is selected such that h = l .multidot. .gamma..sub.1 /.gamma..sub.0 where l is the immersion depth of the tube in the electrolyte vessel, .gamma..sub.1 the density of the electrolytic liquid and .gamma..sub.0 the density of the depleted reaction water.

Abstract: A sheet material, principally comprised of a polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene, having characteristics which permit its use in a fuel cell electrode is formed from co-agglomerates of the polymer and a pore former. In a fuel cell electrode application, the polymer-pore former agglomerates are themselves caused to co-agglomerate with a catalyst, the resulting co-agglomerates are formed into a layer and the pore former is leached from the layer so as to produce a structure having gas channels only in the polymer portions thereof. Agglomeration of the pore former and polymer particles is permitted through first imparting a positive charge to the pore former particles. The gas permeable catalyst layer will be bonded to a support plate to define a fuel cell electrode.

Abstract: Process for operating a cell for the electrolysis of a molten charge, in particular aluminum oxide, with one or more anodes the working surfaces of which are of ceramic oxide material, and anode for carrying out the process.In the process a current density above a minimum value is maintained over the whole anode surface which comes into contact with the molten electrolyte. An anode for carrying out the process is provided at least in the region of the interface between electrolyte and surrounding atmosphere, the three phase zone, with a protective ring of electrically insulating material which is resistant to attack by the electrolyte. The anode may be fitted with a current distributor for attaining a better current distribution.

Abstract: A cell for electrolysis of magnesium chloride in a molten salt bath to produce magnesium metal and chlorine gas, having downwardly tapering graphite anodes with opposed major surfaces slanting throughout their vertical extents, and cathodes disposed in spaced, upwardly divergent slanting relation to the anode surfaces. Electrolytic production of the metal is effected by passing current between the facing anode and cathode slanting surfaces through the bath, which is essentially nonreactive with the carbon of the graphite anodes.

Abstract: The negative zinc electrode of a primary element with alkaline electrolyte and hydrophobic air electrode has a compressible expansion body positioned within the negative electrode.

Abstract: Fuel cell comprising anolyte and catholyte compartments separated by a diffusion barrier and using sodium sulfide aqueous solution as anolyte and an aqueous catholyte solution. The apparatus is controlled to maintain a positive pressure differential across the anolyte/catholyte interface in the barrier towards the anolyte side to attenuate sulfide ion migration to the catholyte and reduce solid sulfur precipitation in the catholyte and thereby attenuate consequent cathode passivation or other forms of catholyte compartment poisoning.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for preparing enveloped plates for batteries by introducing an active material composition containing liquids into the porous envelope of the plate, when the envelope is assembled on the current conducting element of the plate, the active material composition being an alkaline active material composition with a liquid content such that active material is filtered out by the porous envelope, while liquids pass out through the walls of the porous envelope.There is also disclosed a novel alkaline electric storage battery electrode comprising a porous envelope enclosing within it particulate active material which is electrochemically active under alkaline conditions, the porous envelope being one which is capable of filtering out a bed of active material from an aqueous slurry of the active material containing 0.5 parts of the active material per part of water.

Abstract: An improvement in electric accumulator cells having a dissoluble electrode (e.g., a zinc electrode) and a counter-electrode (e.g., nickel electrode) is disclosed. The dissoluble electrode is formed by a central layer having outer layers disposed on either plane side thereof. The outer layers are generally smaller in planar size than the central layer and preferably all of the layers are porous, perforated or netlike. The multi-layer electrode has particular utility in a cell in which the dissoluble electrode and/or separator disposed between the dissoluble electrode and counter-electrode are vibrated in the plane of the electrode. Dendrite growth and shaping of the deposited active material are substantially minimized and improved cell life is obtained.

Abstract: An electrolyte-electrode assembly for a combustible battery comprising a ceramic solid electrolyte conductive to oxygen ions and impermeable to gas. An electrode is secured on one surface of the electrolyte and comprises a porous layer of doped indium oxide composed of dendrites which form trunks having a diameter between 500 and 10,000 A and whose principal axes are penpendicular to the surface of the electrolyte. A continuous layer of ceramic material, conductive to oxygen ions and electrons is interposed between the electrolyte and the electrode and is solid therewith. The electrode can have a second porous layer formed of granules of at least one chromite having the formula:T.sub.1-y Sr.sub.a Ca.sub.b CrO.sub.3in which T is a rare earth or yttrium or a mixture of these elements and y, a and b are numbers between 0 and 1, being able to take the value 0 and satisfying the equation a + b = y.

Abstract: Production of inorganic porous sintered battery separator substantially eliminating formation of gas when in contact with a zinc electrode, and permitting long cycle life of a high energy density battery such as a silver-zinc battery, produced according to one embodiment by initially firing a mixture of magnesium-bearing material, e.g., MgO, zinc-bearing material, e.g., ZnO, and silica (SiO.sub.2), at temperature in the range of about 1,100 to about 1,500.degree. C, to produce a magnesium silicate-zinc silicate composition, granulating and compacting said composition into plaques, and sintering said compacted plaques at temperature ranging from about 1,000.degree. to about 1,300.degree. C, to produce porous sintered separator members, in the form of a sintered solid solution of magnesium silicate and zinc silicate, having good transverse strength and low resistivity.

Abstract: Production of an activated type alumina from aluminum dross by digestion with water, preferably pressurized. The peculiar properties associated with trace compounds present in the product make it useful for the recovery of noxious effluents from furnacing processes, including those burning fossil fuels and those used for smelting both aluminum and steel, wherein the alumina beneficially incorporates in the metallurgical flux.

Abstract: A molten salt charge as used in the electrolysis of aluminum contains aluminum oxide in excess of the eutectic composition and is cooled at a surface colder than the melt in such a way that the aluminum oxide precipitates onto this surface in the form of corundum crystals. Such a layer of crystals provides chemical and electrical insulation to the cooling surface under the corrosive conditions produced by the charge.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for supplying electric current to igneous electrolysis tanks.According to the method, each element, front and rear, of the upstream collector is divided into two parts, one end part 19-20 and the other the central part 17-18, and the tank is supplied by four risers, including two end risers 23-24 and two central risers 25-27 and 26-28; each central riser comprises two elements 25 and 27 located in the same plane parallel to the plane of symmetry (XX) and situated respectively at 1/4 and 3/4 of the length of the cathode, one 25 of these elements passing under the upstream tank 13.The invention applies to igneous electrolysis tanks and more particularly to those intended for the manufacture of aluminium.