Abstract: An alkali metal, solid cathode, nonaqueous electrochemical cell capable of delivering high current pulses, rapidly recovering its open circuit voltage and having high current capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by the addition of hydrogen fluoride to the nonaqueous electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a mixture of a low viscosity solvent and a high permittivity solvent. A preferred solvent mixture includes propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane and hydrogen fluoride having LiAsF.sub.6 or LiPF.sub.6 dissolved therein.

Abstract: A high sodium ion conducting inorganic composite solid electrolyte obtained by mixing Na.sub.4 Zr.sub.2 Si.sub.3 O.sub.12 with titanium oxide and sintering the resultant mixture and a method for the production of a high sodium ion conducting inorganic composite solid electrolyte, consisting essentially of the steps of mixing Na.sub.4 Zr.sub.2 Si.sub.3 O.sub.12 with titanium oxide and sintering the resultant mixture.

Abstract: An ambient pressure fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell stack formed from a plurality of fuel cells having membrane/electrode assemblies (MEAs) that are hydrated with liquid water and bipolar plates with anode and cathode sides for distributing hydrogen fuel gas and water to a first side of each one of the MEAs and air with reactant oxygen gas to a second side of each one of the MEAs. A pump supplies liquid water to the fuel cells. A recirculating system may be used to return unused hydrogen fuel gas to the stack. A near-ambient pressure blower blows air through the fuel cell stack in excess of reaction stoichiometric amounts to react with the hydrogen fuel gas.

Abstract: A cap assembly of a battery, comprising: a cap plate for covering the upper portion of a battery case; a positive terminal installed on the cap plate, insulated from the cap plate; a rivet member having a rivet protrusion, through which a vent hole is formed, inserted through holes formed in the cap plate and the positive terminal for riveting them together, the rivet member electrically connected to the positive terminal; a safety member installed at the lower end of rivet member, blocking the vent hole; and a positive tap fixing member attached to the lower end of the safety member and joined to a positive tap of an electrode assembly in the battery case, wherein the safety member is ruptured and separated from the positive tap fixing member by an internal pressure increase of the battery case.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel electroactive energy storing polyacetylene-co-polysulfur (PAS) materials of general formula (C.sub.2 S.sub.x).sub.n wherein x is greater than 1 to about 100, and n is equal to or greater than 2. This invention also relates to novel rechargeable electrochemical cells containing positive electrode materials comprised of said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur materials with improved storage capacity and cycle life at ambient and sub-ambient temperatures.

Abstract: An organic electrolyte containing an organic solvent mixture and a lithium (Li) salt, and a lithium secondary cell adopting the electrolyte. The organic electrolyte contains the organic solvent mixture comprising a solvent having a high dielectric constant, a solvent having a low viscosity and a compound expressed by the following chemical formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 linear or cyclic alkyl, and x is an integer from 1 to 4. The organic electrolyte for a lithium secondary cell is improved in ion conductivity, low-temperature storage characteristics, and a wide potential window region. Also, the lithium salt may be a mixture of inorganic lithium salts and organic lithium salts.

Abstract: A photoresist composition is disclosed having both negative tone and positive tone responses, giving rise to spaces being formed in the areas of diffraction which are exposed to intermediate amounts of radiation energy. This resist material may be used to print doughnut shapes or may be subjected to a second masking step, to print lines. Additionally, larger and smaller features may be obtained using a gray-scale filter in the reticle, to create larger areas of intermediate exposure areas.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery comprises a positive electrode prepared by filling a nickel hydroxide in a porous plaque as an active material, a negative electrode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte, the positive electrode containing the nickel hydroxide as a main component and a complex oxide of lithium and cobalt as a conductive agent. The lithium-cobalt complex oxide as a conductive agent is preferably represented by the formula Li.sub.x CoO.sub.2 (x is 0.2-0.9).

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique fibrous sheet for forming a polymer gel electrolyte having ion conductivity, a unique polymer gel electrolyte using such a sheet, and a unique method for the manufacture thereof. More specifically, the present invention provides a unique fibrous sheet for forming a polymer gel electrolyte having excellent ion conductivity and suitable as an electrolyte for various electronic devices such as lithium primary batteries, lithium secondary batteries, and electric double layer capacitors, as well as a unique polymer gel electrolyte using such a sheet, and also a unique method for the manufacture thereof.

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 cylinder-shaped secondary battery includes a container, and a rolled electrode. The container includes a cylinder-shaped inner member, a cylinder-shaped outer member, and a pair of ring-shaped end plates. The electrode is accommodated in the container in an electrically insulating manner, rolled spirally, and has a pair of tabs and a hollow formed therein and extending in an axial direction thereof. Moreover, the electrode includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and negative electrode so as to separate them. The inner member of the container has opposite ends and a hollow formed therein and extending in an axial direction thereof, and is disposed in the axially-extending hollow of the electrode. The outer member of the container has opposite ends, and is disposed on a centrifugal side of the electrode.

Abstract: A cell capable of preventing precipitation of lithium on a negative electrode plate in the final stage of a cycle life and achieving a superior cycling performance and high safety and reliability is provided. In a rechargeable secondary cell using a non-aqueous electrolyte, a positive electrode contains an active material and a conductive element, and Ketjenblack, a mixture of Ketjenblack and flake graphite or a mixture of Ketjenblack and acetylene black is employed as such conductive element.

Abstract: A constriction in the exhaust side of a discharge chamber containing oxygen isolates the oxygen supply from the rest of the system. A constriction of equal size or larger is used in the supply of another gas, thereby enabling mixtures of oxygen and other gases to be used in a downstream plasma system. In one embodiment of the invention, the gases are dissociated separately and then combined in a mixing chamber. In another embodiment, oxygen is dissociated and then a lighter gas is added and the mixture is dissociated. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lighter gas is selected from the group consisting of water vapor and nitrogen.

Abstract: Corrosion resistant lead alloy metal for use in the battery grid of a lead acid battery. The alloy includes calcium in an amount greater than 0.06% and also includes copper.The alloy improves the life of the battery and also aids the manufacturing process by more quickly reaching the required strength for the manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Thin-profile battery circuits and constructions, and in particular button-type battery circuits and constructions and methods of forming the same are described. In one implementation, a substrate is provided having an outer surface with a pair of spaced electrical contact pads thereon. At least two thin-profile batteries are conductively bonded together in a stack having a lowermost battery and an uppermost battery. The batteries include respective positive and negative terminals. The lowermost battery has one of its positive or negative terminals adhesively bonded to one of the pair of electrical contact pads while the uppermost battery has one of its positive or negative terminals electrically connected to the other of the pair of electrical contact pads. The batteries can be provided into parallel or series electrical connections.

Abstract: A current collector in the form of a conductive substrate subjected to a special chemical etch on both major surfaces to provide a "basket weave" structure, is described. The basket weave structures has a lattice construction surrounded by a frame and comprising first strand structures intersecting second strand structures to provide a plurality of diamond-shaped openings or interstices bordered by the strands. The strand structures intersect or join with each other at junctions thereby forming the current collector as an integral unit.

Abstract: Ion-conducting membranes for fuel cells are disclosed. The membrane is composed of a hydrogenated and sulfonated statistical copolymer of styrene and butadiene. A preferred membrane is obtained by hydrogenating a copolymer of styrene and butadiene to obtain less than five percent residual unsaturation, then sulfonating the polymer with an acetyl sulfate sulfonation agent to a level of at least 30 mol % percent sulfonate.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for forming nickel hydroxide battery electrodes comprising nickel hydroxide particles which have crystallite sizes falling within the range of about 60 .ANG. to about 160 .ANG..

Abstract: An electric power generation system using fuel cells, wherein the system includes a stack of fuel cells each having an anode, electrolyte and a cathode. Associated with the anodes are anode passageways divided into two groups. Each group is formed by anode passageways connected to one of the two anode gas exhaust manifolds. Associated with the cathodes are cathode passageways divided into two groups. Each group is formed by cathode passageways connected to one of the two cathode gas exhaust manifolds. The anode exhaust gas in each of the manifolds is maintained completely separate from that in the other manifold. Similarly, the cathode exhaust gas is separate in the two manifolds. Fuel gas from a supply is fed to an inlet manifold supplying all of the anode passageways in which the reforming reaction takes place. Anode exhaust gas from the outer manifold is supplied to the inlet manifold to mix with the fuel gas to the anode passageways.

Abstract: An alcohol and water recovery system for a direct aqueous alcohol fuel cell power plant includes at least one direct aqueous alcohol fuel cell for producing electrical energy, and a direct alcohol and water transfer device for recovering alcohol and water leaving the plant and transferring the recovered alcohol and water back into the plant. The direct alcohol and water transfer device passes a process oxidant stream upstream of the plant in mass transfer relationship with a plant exhaust stream that includes aqueous alcohol fuel and process oxidant fluid streams that have passed through the fuel cell, so that alcohol and water in the plant exhaust stream transfer directly through a mass transfer medium of the device to the process oxidant stream entering the fuel cell. The device includes a separator housing for supporting the transfer medium and for preventing bulk mixing of the streams.