Abstract: A method for maximizing the effective life and utilization of CO.sub.2 -absorbent material in a scrubber system for removing carbon dioxide from an air inflow to a metal-air battery or fuel cell comprises providing, in such a battery, a housing including a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and at least one removable, gas-permeable container containing a CO.sub.2 -absorbent material, the container being positioned across the flow path of gas entering said inlet and exiting said outlet. After a predetermined utilization of the system, the at least one removable, gas-permeable container is removed therefrom and spent CO.sub.2 -absorbent material from the container is regenerated for reuse in the scrubber system, the regeneration including at least periodically removing accumulated Group 1a metal carbonate deposits.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for removing discharged active zinc-containing material from a mechanically rechargeable zinc battery anode, containing the same, the anode being of the type comprising a skeletal frame, including conductive metal and having a portion of a surface area thereof formed as open spaces, and an active zinc anode component compacted into a rigid static bed of active anode material encompassing the skeletal frame, and having two opposite major surfaces, the process comprising introducing the anode between a pair of spaced-apart first and second crusher plates, each of the crusher plates being provided with a plurality of pointed projections of varying heights and a plurality of recesses of varying depths, the crusher plates being aligned with each other to the effect that tips of projections of the first crusher plate substantially mutually occlude with recesses provided on the second crusher plate and tips of projections of the second crusher plate substantially mutually occlude wit

Abstract: A mechanically-rechargeable single-cell consumer electric battery for generating up to two volts, the battery being capable of electrical recharge. The battery including a replaceable zinc anode, a housing containing the anode and provided with an aperture sealed by a removable closure, the aperture being sufficiently large to allow removal and replacement therethrough of at least the zinc anode, a cathode selected from the group including a manganese dioxide electrode, a nickel hydroxide electrode, a silver oxide electrode, and an air electrode also contained in the housing, a non-spillable electrolyte in contact with both cathode and anode, and a separator system physically separating the anode from the cathode.

Abstract: The invention provides a metal-air battery-powered electric vehicle of the type having a motor powered by a plurality of metal-air cells wherein air is continuously provided to the cells by a blower system energized from a power source, in combination with a collision-activated switch for disconnecting the air blower system from the power source, wherein upon activation of the switch the air in the cell is immediately depleted and the battery is rendered substantially inert in less than 5 seconds.

Abstract: The invention provides a rigid reusable transport and storage vessel for retaining a plurality of anode cassettes of pressed zinc particles saturated with aqueous alkaline solution, and utilizable as an electric fuel in a zinc-air battery, the vessel having a sealably covered aperture and being provided with a hydrogen recombination device, the device being provided with an external surface at least part of which projects into the air surrounding the vessel for venting any hydrogen produced by the anode cassettes into the air surrounding the vessel, and the vessel being internally compartmentalized to contain a plurality of sealable internal compartments for retaining the plurality of anode cassettes, each of the internal compartments being provided with a gas non-return valve venting from the internal compartment to an interior space of the vessel for venting generated hydrogen from the cassettes via the gas non-return valve to the vessel for elimination via the hydrogen recombination device while preventing

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-cell, sealed, cooled, zinc-oxygen battery, comprising a container containing a plurality of bi-cells, each cell having a housing provided with two major surfaces and accommodating a pair of oppositely-disposed, spaced-apart, air-permeable, liquid-impermeable cathodes in the form of oxygen-reduction electrodes, and defining between themselves a cavity configured to accommodate an anode of the battery and electrolyte, substantial portions of the major surfaces of the housing being removed, thus exposing major portions of the oxygen-reduction electrodes, and wherein two major surfaces are partly recessed in such a way as to form, in conjunction with a similarly-recessed outer surface of a major wall of an adjacent cell housing, an inter-cathode gas space between adjacent cells with a plurality of oxygen access openings leading thereto; an anode positioned within the cavity and comprising an active zinc anode component compacted into a rigid static bed of active anode material of ti

Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing a gas-diffusion electrode for metal-air batteries and fuel cells of the type having a blocking layer formed from a precursor containing carbon black and particulate hydrophobic polymeric binders, comprising heating the carbon black at a temperature of about 400.degree.-1,200.degree. C. for a period of about 1-10 hours in a reducing environment, prior to the formation of the precursor, whereby hydrophilic centers in the pre-treated carbon black are minimized without increasing its corrosivity/surface area and thereby increasing the stability in concentrated KOH at high-cell operating temperatures of a blocking layer formed from the pre-treated carbon black.

Abstract: An electrochemically prepared, high-performance, zinc powder has an apparent density of about 0.2-2 g/cc and a surface area of about 0.5-6 m.sup.2 /gm and further has at least one corrosion inhibitor metal intrinsically alloyed therein.

Abstract: A mechanically rechargeable, electrochemical metal-air battery of the type having a plurality of metal-air cells, each of said cells comprising (a) a housing having a base, two major surfaces and two minor surfaces, defining an interior space for containing therein a replaceable metal electrode having an electrically conductive skeletal member encompassed by an active metal component, the interior space communicating with an opening opposite the base through which the replaceable metal electrode is selectively removed to enable the mechanical replacement thereof with a freshly charged metal electrode; (b) at least one generally planar, air permeable but liquid impermeable, air electrode, each of the electrodes being installed in a window-like opening provided in at least one of the major surfaces; and (c) an electrolyte in contact with the metal and air electrodes; the improvement comprising a first woven mesh separator attached to an inner, electrolyte-facing surface of each of the air electrodes and a secon

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an alkaline-zinc slurry for use in batteries, the slurry comprising an admixture of (a) at least partly oxidized zinc; (b) an aqueous solution of at least one Group Ia metal; and (c) an inorganic or organic inhibitor. The process includes the steps of electrolyzing the admixture in a cell with a corrosion-resistant anode and a non-zinc-adherent cathode such that the zinc deposits on the cathode self-detach or are removed until no more than a preselected amount of zinc remains in the solution, provided that the current density at the cathode is preselected so that the electrowon zinc will have, after homogenizing into particles, a density within the range 0.2-2.0 g/cc and a surface area within the range 0.5-6.0 m.sup.

Abstract: A mechanically rechargeable electric battery includes at least one electrical cell which has a pair of generally planar outer electrodes configured to define therebetween an interior space for an electrical power storage medium, and inner electrodes removably-mounted between the pair of outer electrodes so as to be in electrically conductive contact with the electrical power storage medium and configured to provide mechanical support for the electrical power storage medium and to be removable as a unit therewith from the cell. The cell is a metal-gas battery cell and the electrical power storage medium contained in the interior space contains a slurry containing active porous zinc particles saturated with an electrolyte solution. The outer electrodes define an opening communicating with the interior space, and the inner electrodes are configured for their removal from the interior space, via the opening, thereby enabling the simultaneous removal of the inner electrodes and the slurry from the interior space.

Abstract: An electrochemical metal-air cell for multiple discharge and recharge cycles, includes a housing for accommodating a replaceable metal electrode having a generally planar electrically conductive skeletal member encompassed by an active metal component. At least one generally planar, air permeable but liquid impermeable air electrode is installed at at-least one of the sides of the housing. An electrolyte is provided in contact with the metal and the air electrodes. One or more auxiliary electrodes each constituting a charging anode is engaged when electric current is applied thereto for effecting the reduction and regeneration of the active metal component in one mode of operation, during which the air electrode is disengaged. The charging anode is disengaged in another mode of operation. The metal electrode is removed from the housing to enable the mechanical replacement thereof and is recharged in situ when electric current is applied to the auxiliary charging anode to reduce oxidized active metal thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a single pass wet fabrication process for preparing a gas diffusion electrode for metal-air batteries and fuel cells comprising:a) preparing an active-layer forming dispersion containing catalyzed carbon black, hydrophilic fluorinated polymer and particulate hydrophobic fluorinated polymer in a liquid medium;b) preparing a blocking-layer forming dispersion containing carbon black and particulate hydrophobic polymeric binders in a liquid medium;c) filtering a first of the layer forming dispersions though filtering means to deposit a first layer of damp solids mass;d) filtering a second of the layer forming dispersions through the first deposited damp solids mass before the drying or sintering of the first deposited damp solids mass in order to deposit a second layer of damp solids mass thereon in such a manner that lower components of the second layer of damp solids mass are intermixed with upper components of the first layer of deposited damp solids mass;e) drying and compressing the co

Abstract: The invention provides a gas diffusion electrode containing a fiber reinforced composite structure in a layer thereof, the structure comprising structurally intact fibers precoated with sinterable polymeric material, which material is heat sintered, whereby the fibers are bonded to each other and to other components of the structure by the sintered polymeric material, while maintaining their individual fibrous structure and strength.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a separator for use in alkaline secondary zinc cells and for use in electrochemical systems where permeation of hydroxyl ions is desired and where permeation of zincate ions is to be inhibited, comprising an inert support to which there is applied a layer comprising a polymeric binder and a carbonate or hydroxycarbonate of nickel, cerium, lanthanum, magnesium or calcium, or a mixture of any of these or which comprises a self-supporting structure of such polymeric binder or matrix-forming material and such carbonate or hydroxycarbonate. There may be incorporated in such separator electrocatalysts and fillers or surface extenders. The invention also relates to the process of production of such membranes.

Abstract: The invention relates to mixed oxides of the spinel type or of similar structure, containing a quantity of boron adapted to reduce the electrical resistance of the oxide by a factor of at least 1000 calculated on the corresponding compound without boron, some of the preferred compounds being selected from compounds of the formulae Co.sub.x Fe.sub.3-x O.sub.n and Co.sub.x Ni.sub.3-x O.sub.n, wherein x is between 0.05 and 3, n is between 3 and 5, containing from 0.05 to 20 atom per cent boron calculated on the mixed oxides, wherein part of the Co,Ni. or Fe may be substituted by an equivalent quantity of magnesium or calcium, said compounds being optionally doped with lithium; electrocatalytically active electrodes made from such compounds and electrical cells containing such electrodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a secondary cell having zinc electrodes in which there is provided an auxiliary electrode having a surface of electrocatalyst having a low overvoltage for hydrogen evolution, which is resistant to deposition of zinc thereon, means for connecting said auxiliary electrode to the negative electrodes during charging, the arrangement being such that the auxiliary electrode takes up the excessive current at the negative electrodes over that of the positive ones, thus eliminating or substantially reducing shape-change phenomena of the negative electrodes.