Abstract: There is provided a secondary zinc battery including: a unit cell including; a positive-electrode plate including a positive-electrode active material layer and a positive-electrode collector; a negative-electrode plate including a negative-electrode active material layer containing zinc and a negative-electrode collector; an LDH separator covering or wrapping around the entire negative-electrode active material layer; and an electrolytic solution. The positive-electrode collector has a positive-electrode collector tab extending from one edge of the positive-electrode active material layer, and the negative-electrode collector has a negative-electrode collector tab extending from the opposite edge of the negative-electrode active material layer and beyond a vertical edge of the LDH-like compound separator. The unit cell can thereby collects electricity from the positive-electrode collector tab and the negative-electrode collector tab that are disposed at opposite edges of the unit cell.

Abstract: An electrode-separator assembly is provided that can drastically facilitate assembly of a LDH separator-equipped nickel-zinc battery without the work, structure, or components for the complete separation of a positive-electrode chamber from a negative-electrode chamber. The electrode-separator assembly includes a positive-electrode plate, a negative-electrode plate, a layered double hydroxide (LDH) separator for separation of the positive-electrode plate from the negative-electrode plate, and a resin frame having an opening to which the LDH separator and the positive-electrode plate are fitted or joined. The positive-electrode plate has a smaller face than the negative-electrode plate. The negative-electrode plate has a clearance area that does not overlap with the positive-electrode plate over a predetermined width from the outer peripheral edge of the negative-electrode plate.

Abstract: There is provided a secondary zinc battery including: a unit cell including; a positive-electrode plate including a positive-electrode active material layer and a positive-electrode collector; a negative-electrode plate including a negative-electrode active material layer containing zinc and a negative-electrode collector; a layered double hydroxide (LDH) separator covering or wrapping around the entire negative-electrode active material layer; and an electrolytic solution. The positive-electrode collector has a positive-electrode collector tab extending from one edge of the positive-electrode active material layer, and the negative-electrode collector has a negative-electrode collector tab extending from the opposite edge of the negative-electrode active material layer and beyond a vertical edge of the LDH separator. The unit cell can thereby collects electricity from the positive-electrode collector tab and the negative-electrode collector tab.

Abstract: There is provided a secondary zinc battery including: (a) at least one unit cell including; a positive electrode; a negative-electrode structure including a negative-electrode active material layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of elemental zinc, zinc oxide, zinc alloys, and zinc compounds; a LDH separator including a porous substrate composed of a polymeric material and layered double hydroxide (LDH); and an electrolytic solution; and (b) a pressuring unit compacting the unit cell to bring the negative-electrode structure in close contact with the LDH separator. Pores of the porous substrate are filled with the LDH such that the LDH separator is hydroxide-ion-conductive and gas-impermeable. The LDH separator separates the positive electrode from the negative-electrode active material layer.

Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode structure for a secondary battery. This positive electrode structure includes: a positive electrode current collector composed of a tabular nickel foam and having a tabular coated portion and an uncoated portion extending from an outer peripheral portion of the coated portion; and a positive electrode active material containing nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide incorporated into the coated portion of the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode active material is not present in the uncoated portion of the positive electrode current collector, and the nickel foam constituting the uncoated portion is compressed so as to have a thickness of 0.10 times or more and less than 0.8 times a thickness of the nickel foam constituting the coated portion.

Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode structure including: a positive electrode current collector composed of a tabular nickel foam and having a tabular coated portion and an uncoated portion extending from an outer peripheral portion of the coated portion; a positive electrode active material containing nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide incorporated into the coated portion of the positive electrode current collector; and a nonwoven fabric made of a polymer material and covering the coated portion of the positive electrode current collector from both sides. The positive electrode active material is not present in the uncoated portion of the positive electrode current collector. The nonwoven fabric covers an entirety of the coated portion and extends from the outer peripheral portion of the coated portion to form a surplus region, and the surplus region is sealed so as to close all around the outer peripheral portion of the coated portion.

Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode structure including: a positive electrode current collector composed of a tabular nickel foam and having a tabular coated portion and an uncoated portion extending from an outer peripheral portion of the coated portion; a positive electrode active material containing nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide incorporated into the coated portion of the positive electrode current collector; and a nonwoven fabric made of a polymer material and covering the coated portion of the positive electrode current collector from both sides. The positive electrode active material is not present in the uncoated portion of the positive electrode current collector. The nonwoven fabric covers an entirety of the coated portion and extends from the outer peripheral portion of the coated portion to form a surplus region, and the surplus region is sealed so as to close all around the outer peripheral portion of the coated portion.

Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode structure for a secondary battery. This positive electrode structure includes: a positive electrode current collector composed of a tabular nickel foam and having a tabular coated portion and an uncoated portion extending from an outer peripheral portion of the coated portion; and a positive electrode active material containing nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide incorporated into the coated portion of the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode active material is not present in the uncoated portion of the positive electrode current collector, and the nickel foam constituting the uncoated portion is compressed so as to have a thickness of 0.10 times or more and less than 0.8 times a thickness of the nickel foam constituting the coated portion.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrode material for cells. The electrode material includes carbon, and a crystalline material composed of a layered double hydroxide and/or a cation-deficit metal oxide having a rock-salt structure. Carbon is complexed with the cation-deficit metal oxide and/or the layered double hydroxide.

Abstract: An air electrode has a plurality of carbon nanotubes and a plurality of layered double hydroxide particles. The plurality of layered double hydroxide particles is supported on the plurality of carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: Provided is a highly reliable nickel-zinc battery including a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability. The nickel-zinc battery includes a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide; a positive-electrode electrolytic solution in which the positive electrode is immersed, the electrolytic solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide; a negative electrode containing zinc and/or zinc oxide; a negative-electrode electrolytic solution in which the negative electrode is immersed, the electrolytic solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide; a hermetic container accommodating the positive electrode, the positive-electrode electrolytic solution, the negative electrode, and the negative-electrode electrolytic solution; and the separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability and disposed in the hermetic container so as to separate a positive-electrode chamber from a negative-electrode chamber.

Abstract: There is provided a secondary zinc battery including: (a) at least one unit cell including; a positive electrode; a negative-electrode structure including a negative-electrode active material layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of elemental zinc, zinc oxide, zinc alloys, and zinc compounds; a LDH separator including a porous substrate composed of a polymeric material and layered double hydroxide (LDH); and an electrolytic solution; and (b) a pressuring unit compacting the unit cell to bring the negative-electrode structure in close contact with the LDH separator. Pores of the porous substrate are filled with the LDH such that the LDH separator is hydroxide-ion-conductive and gas-impermeable. The LDH separator separates the positive electrode from the negative-electrode active material layer.

Abstract: There is provided a secondary zinc battery including: a unit cell including; a positive-electrode plate including a positive-electrode active material layer and a positive-electrode collector; a negative-electrode plate including a negative-electrode active material layer containing zinc and a negative-electrode collector; a layered double hydroxide (LDH) separator covering or wrapping around the entire negative-electrode active material layer; and an electrolytic solution. The positive-electrode collector has a positive-electrode collector tab extending from one edge of the positive-electrode active material layer, and the negative-electrode collector has a negative-electrode collector tab extending from the opposite edge of the negative-electrode active material layer and beyond a vertical edge of the LDH separator. The unit cell can thereby collects electricity from the positive-electrode collector tab and the negative-electrode collector tab.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unit cell for a nickel-zinc battery in the form of a cell pack having positive and negative electrodes reliably separated by a hydroxide ion-conductive separator, which can be readily handled and is very advantageous for forming an assembled battery. The nickel-zinc cell pack of the invention includes: a flexible bag comprising flexible films; a separation sheet liquid-tightly connected to the interior of the flexible bag to separate a positive-electrode chamber and a negative-electrode chamber for inhibiting liquid communication therebetween; a positive electrode and a positive-electrode electrolytic solution disposed in the positive-electrode chamber; a negative electrode and a negative-electrode electrolytic solution disposed in the negative-electrode chamber, wherein the separation sheet comprises a separator structure comprising a separator exhibiting hydroxide-ion conductivity and water impermeability.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrode cartridge for use in a hermetic zinc secondary battery comprising a separator structure including a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability; a counter member liquid-tightly sealed to the separator structure so as to form an internal space and constituting an open-top water impermeable case together with the separator structure; and an electrode that is accommodated in the internal space of the water impermeable case and is a negative electrode containing zinc and/or zinc oxide or a positive electrode. According to the present invention, there is provided an electrode built-in component that can reliably isolate the positive and negative electrodes from each other with a hydroxide ion conductive separator, in the form of an electrode cartridge that is easy to handle and manufacture and that is more advantageous for assembling a stacked-cell battery, while reducing the number of sealing joints.

Abstract: Provided is a battery-equipped device including a substrate, a device disposed on the substrate, an all-solid-state battery disposed such that the planar shape conforms to the periphery of the device on the substrate and at least partially having a complementary outer edge shape that conforms to the entire or a part of the outer edge shape of the device, and interconnections connecting the device and the all-solid-state battery. The all-solid-state battery includes a positive electrode layer containing an oriented polycrystalline positive-electrode active material composed of lithium transition metal oxide particles oriented in a certain direction, a solid electrolyte layer composed of a lithium-ion conductive material, and a negative electrode layer containing a negative-electrode active material. The present invention can provide a battery-equipped device that can significantly increase the degree of freedom of design and can output necessary electric power in a minimum space.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sequential and efficient method of assembling a battery with a desired number of layers while reliably separating positive and negative electrode sides from each other with one or more separator structures. According to the invention, the method of assembling a battery includes stacking one or multiple combinations each comprising a frame and a positive electrode plate to be disposed in a region defined by the frame and one or multiple combinations each comprising a frame and a negative electrode plate to be disposed in a region defined by the frame, once or alternately, such that the positive and adjacent negative electrode plates are separated from each other by a separator structure and the periphery of the separator structure is held between the adjacent frames. The separator structure includes a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability.

Abstract: In a particle counter and a method of counting a number of particles, the particle counter includes a casing made of a ceramic, an electric charge adder configured to add electric charges to particles in a measurement target gas supplied into the casing, a first electric charge collector configured to collect the electric charges added to the particles, and a number measuring unit configured to measure a number of the particles based on a quantity of the collected electric charges.

Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery including a hydroxide-ion-conductive ceramic separator. The secondary battery includes a positive electrode; a negative electrode; an alkaline electrolytic solution; a ceramic separator that is composed of a hydroxide-ion-conductive inorganic solid electrolyte and separates the positive electrode from the negative electrode; a porous substrate disposed on at least one surface of the ceramic separator; and a container accommodating at least the negative electrode and the alkaline electrolytic solution, wherein the inorganic solid electrolyte is in the form of a membrane or layer densified enough to have water impermeability, and the porous substrate has a thickness of 100 to 1,800 ?m. According to the secondary battery of the present invention, the thickness and resistance of the ceramic separator are decreased without concern for reduced strength, and a reduction in energy density and an increase in internal resistance are effectively prevented.

Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an alkaline electrolytic solution, a separator structure exhibiting water impermeability and separating the positive electrode from the negative electrode, and a container accommodating at least the negative electrode and the alkaline electrolytic solution. The separator structure includes a porous substrate-supported ceramic separator, and a reinforcement having a lattice structure having openings and reinforcing the periphery and/or at least one surface of the porous substrate-supported ceramic separator. The porous substrate-supported ceramic separator includes a ceramic separator composed of an inorganic solid electrolyte having hydroxide ion conductivity in the form of a membrane or layer densified enough to have water impermeability, and a porous substrate disposed on at least one surface of the separator.