Abstract: Provided is a separator structure for use in a zinc secondary battery. The separator structure includes a ceramic separator composed of an inorganic solid electrolyte and having hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability, and a peripheral member disposed along the periphery of the ceramic separator and composed of at least one of a resin frame and a resin film. The separator structure exhibits water impermeability as a whole. The separator structure of the present invention can reliably separate the positive electrode side from the negative electrode side in a zinc secondary battery, is readily sealed and bonded to a resin battery container, and exhibits significantly improved handleability during the assembly of the battery.

Abstract: Provided is a highly reliable nickel-zinc battery, which includes a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability. The separator is disposed in a hermetic container to separate a positive-electrode chamber from a negative-electrode chamber. The positive-electrode chamber has an extra positive-electrode space having a volume that meets part of a variation in amount of water in association with the positive electrode reaction, and the negative-electrode chamber has an extra negative-electrode space having a volume that meets part of a variation in amount of water in association with the negative electrode reaction.

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: Provided is a highly reliable nickel-zinc battery including 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 layered-double-hydroxide-(LDH) containing composite material including a porous substrate and a high density LDH-containing functional layer on and/or in the porous substrate. The LDH-containing composite material of the present invention includes the porous substrate and the functional layer formed on and/or in the porous substrate. The functional layer contains a layered double hydroxide represented by the general formula M2+1?xM3+x(OH)2An?x/n.mH2O (where M2+ represents a divalent cation, M3+ represents a trivalent cation, An? represents an n-valent anion, n represents an integer not less than 1, x represents a value of 0.1 to 0.4, and m represents a value not less than 0) and has water impermeability.

Abstract: Provided is a layered-double-hydroxide-(LDH) containing composite material including a porous substrate and a high density LDH-containing functional layer on and/or in the porous substrate. The LDH-containing composite material of the present invention includes the porous substrate and the functional layer formed on and/or in the porous substrate. The functional layer contains a layered double hydroxide represented by the general formula M2+1-xM3+x(OH)2An-x/n.mH2O (where M2+ represents a divalent cation, M3+ represents a trivalent cation, An- represents an n-valent anion, n represents an integer not less than 1, x represents a value of 0.1 to 0.4, and m represents a value not less than 0) and has water impermeability.

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: Provided is an air electrode or water electrolysis anode showing a higher catalytic activity than carbon black and not having a risk of oxidative degradation, in particular, an air electrode or water electrolysis anode for a metal-air battery or a water electrolysis apparatus. The air electrode or water electrolysis anode includes an electron-conductive material represented by LaNi1?x?yCuxFeyO3?? (where x>0, y>0, x+y<1, and 0???0.4).

Abstract: Provided is a layered double hydroxide oriented membrane in which layered double hydroxide plate-like particles are highly oriented in the approximately perpendicular direction and which is also suitable for densification. The layered double hydroxide oriented membrane of the present invention is composed of a layered double hydroxide represented by the general formula: M2+1-xM3+x(OH)2An?x/n.mH2O wherein M2+ is a divalent cation, M3+ is a trivalent cation, An? is an anion having a valency of n, n is an integer of 1 or greater, x is 0.1 to 0.4, and m is 0 or greater, wherein when a surface of the oriented membrane is measured by X-ray diffractometry, a peak of a (003) plane is not substantially detected or is detected to be smaller than a peak of a (012) plane.

Abstract: Provided is a zinc-air secondary battery including an air electrode; a negative electrode containing zinc, a zinc alloy, and/or a zinc compound; an aqueous electrolytic solution in which the negative electrode is immersed; a container having an opening and accommodating the negative electrode and the electrolytic solution; and a separator disposed to cover the opening and having hydroxide ion conductivity, water impermeability, and gas impermeability, the separator being in contact with the electrolytic solution and defining a hermetic space with the container such that the air electrode is separated from the electrolytic solution by the separator through which hydroxide ions pass. The hermetic space has an extra space having a volume that meets a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the negative electrode during charge and discharge of the battery. The present invention provides a highly reliable zinc-air secondary battery.

Abstract: Provided is a layered double hydroxide membrane containing a layered double hydroxide represented by the formula: M2+1?xM3+x(OH)2An?x/n.mH2O (where M2+ represents a divalent cation, M3+ represents a trivalent cation, An? represents an n-valent anion, n is an integer of 1 or more, and x is 0.1 to 0.4), the layered double hydroxide membrane having water impermeability. The layered double hydroxide membrane includes a dense layer having water impermeability, and a non-flat surface structure that is rich in voids and/or protrusions and disposed on at least one side of the dense layer. The present invention provides an LDH membrane suitable for use as a solid electrolyte separator for a battery, the LDH membrane including a dense layer having water impermeability, and a specific structure disposed on at least one side of the dense layer and suitable for reducing the interfacial resistance between the LDH membrane and an electrolytic solution.

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.

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 method of forming a layered double hydroxide (LDH) dense membrane on the surface of a porous substrate. The LDH dense membrane is composed of an LDH represented by the formula: M2+1-xM3+x(OH)2An?x/n·mH2O where M2+ represents a divalent cation. M3+ represents a trivalent cation, An? represents an n-valent anion, n is an integer of 1 or more, and x is 0.1 to 0.4. This method includes (a) providing a porous substrate, (b) evenly depositing, on the porous substrate, a nucleation material capable of providing a nucleus from which the crystal growth of the LDH starts; and (c) hydrothermally treating the porous substrate in an aqueous stock solution containing a constituent element of the LDH to form the LDH dense membrane on the surface of the porous substrate. The method of the present invention can form a highly-densified LDH membrane evenly on the surface of a porous substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a battery including a layered double hydroxide. The battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolytic solution being an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution, and a layered double hydroxide having a fundamental composition represented by the formula: M2+1?xM3+x(OH)2An?x/n·mH2O where M2+ represents a divalent cation, M3+ represents a trivalent cation, An? represents an n-valent anion, n is an integer of 1 or more, x is 0.1 to 0.4, and m is any real number, the layered double hydroxide being in contact with the electrolytic solution, wherein a metal compound containing a metal corresponding to M2+ and/or M3+ is dissolved in the electrolytic solution such that erosion of the layered double hydroxide by the electrolytic solution is suppressed. The present invention provides a highly reliable battery such that the degradation of a layered double hydroxide (LDH) contained in the battery can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a highly reliable nickel-zinc battery including a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability. The separator is disposed in a hermetic container to separate a positive-electrode chamber accommodating a positive electrode and a positive-electrode electrolyte from a negative-electrode chamber accommodating a negative electrode and a negative-electrode electrolyte. The positive-electrode chamber has an extra positive-electrode space having a volume that meets a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the positive electrode during charge and discharge of the battery, and the negative-electrode chamber has an extra negative-electrode space having a volume meeting a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the negative electrode during charge and discharge of the battery.

Abstract: Provided is a separator-equipped air electrode for a metal-air battery, the separator-equipped air electrode including a separator composed of a hydroxide-ion-conductive inorganic solid electrolyte being a dense ceramic material; an air electrode layer containing an air electrode catalyst and an electron-conductive material, or containing an air electrode catalyst also serving as an electron-conductive material; and an intermediate layer disposed between the separator and the air electrode layer, improving the adhesion between the separator and the air electrode layer, and exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity. The present invention enables an air electrode provided with a dense ceramic separator to ensure the desired characteristics of the dense ceramic separator and reduces the resistance of a metal-air battery (in particular, the interfacial resistance between the air electrode layer and the separator).

Abstract: Provided is a highly reliable nickel-zinc battery, which includes a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability. The separator is disposed in a hermetic container to separate a positive-electrode chamber from a negative-electrode chamber. The positive-electrode chamber has an extra positive-electrode space having a volume that meets part of a variation in amount of water in association with the positive electrode reaction, and the negative-electrode chamber has an extra negative-electrode space having a volume that meets part of a variation in amount of water in association with the negative electrode reaction.

Abstract: Provided is a separator structure for use in a zinc secondary battery. The separator structure includes a ceramic separator composed of an inorganic solid electrolyte and having hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability, and a peripheral member disposed along the periphery of the ceramic separator and composed of at least one of a resin frame and a resin film. The separator structure exhibits water impermeability as a whole. The separator structure of the present invention can reliably separate the positive electrode side from the negative electrode side in a zinc secondary battery, is readily sealed and bonded to a resin battery container, and exhibits significantly improved handleability during the assembly of the battery.