Abstract: A process is described for making alkaline batteries in which particular attention is given to the pretreatment of nickel plaques prior to impregnation. This pretreatment involves production of a uniform thin oxide film on the nickel plaque surface under carefully controlled conditions. This pretreatment prevents corrosion under conditions for commercial production of electrodes for alkaline batteries and permits not only higher loadings but more uniform loadings of the electrodes.

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.