Abstract: A metallic electrode comprises an electroactive material comprising zinc, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, silver, brass, copper, stainless steel, nickel, selenium, or any combination thereof, and an additive comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of bismuth, copper, indium, a salt thereof, an oxide thereof, and any combination thereof. The additive is plated in a layer on the electroactive material.

Abstract: A secondary alkaline battery includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a current collector, a cathode mixture in electrical contact with the current collector. The cathode mixture comprises: manganese oxide, a copper compound comprising copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or any combination thereof, a bismuth compound comprising bismuth, a salt of bismuth, or any combination thereof, and a conductive carbon. The secondary alkaline battery can also include a first composition in contact with the current collector and disposed between the current collector and the cathode mixture that includes copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A battery includes a cathode compartment, a catholyte solution disposed within the cathode compartment, an anode compartment, an anolyte solution disposed within the anode compartment, a separator disposed between the cathode compartment and the anode compartment, and a flow system configured to provide fluid circulation in the cathode compartment and the anode compartment. The catholyte solution and the anolyte solution have different compositions.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery can include a cathode, an anode current collector, an anode comprising zinc, and an electrolyte in ionic communication with both the cathode and the anode current collector. The electrolyte can include an organic ammonium halide. The organic ammonium halide can include an ammonium bromide in some instances.

Abstract: A zinc electrode comprises an anode material, the anode material comprising: an electroactive material comprising at least one of zinc or a compound comprising zinc, a stabilizer additive comprising at least one of: bismuth, copper, indium, a compound comprising bismuth, a compound comprising copper, a compound comprising indium, or any combination thereof, a conductive additive, and a binder.

Abstract: A novel electrode current collector design that can improve performance and extend cycle life for rechargeable batteries based on metal electrodeposition is disclosed. The novel electrode current collector has a reduced effective surface area that can help to balance efficiencies between battery electrodes and to ensure non-uniform electrodeposition of metal onto the anode current collector during charge. One result is mitigation of internal short circuits that can cause a battery to fail prematurely.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a secondary Zn—MnO2 battery comprises a battery housing, a MnO2 cathode, a Zn anode, and an electrolyte solution. The MnO2 cathode, the Zn anode, and the electrolyte solution are disposed within the battery housing, and the MnO2 cathode comprises a MnO2 cathode mixture and a current collector. The MnO2 cathode mixture is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the current collector, and the MnO2 cathode has a porosity of from about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. %, based on the total volume of the MnO2 cathode mixture of the MnO2 cathode.

Abstract: An alkaline battery comprises an anode, a cathode, a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, and an electrolyte in fluid communication with the anode, the cathode, and the separator. The separator comprises at least one ion selective layer that can include at least one of graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, functionalized graphene, or combinations thereof. This can allow the ion selective layer to be configured to selectively block zincate ions.

Abstract: An electrode comprises a manganese oxide compound, one or more additives, and a conductive carbon. The manganese oxide compound has manganese in a valence state that is ?3. The one or more additives can be selected from the group consisting of bismuth, bismuth salt, copper, copper salt, tin, tin salt, lead, lead salt, silver, silver salt, cobalt, cobalt salt, nickel, nickel salt, magnesium, magnesium salt, aluminum, aluminum salt, potassium, potassium salt, lithium, lithium salt, calcium, calcium salt, gold, gold salt, antimony, antimony salt, iron, iron salt, barium, barium salt, zinc and zinc salt.

Abstract: A charger for a plurality of cells comprises a plurality of cells, a plurality of DC power sources, a common DC source in electrical communication with each of the plurality of DC power sources, and a CPU configured to selectively control the connection between each DC power source and the corresponding cell. Each DC power source of the plurality of DC power sources is selectively connectable to a corresponding cell of the plurality of cells.

Abstract: A method of forming a layered manganese dioxide for use in a cathode of a battery comprises disposing a cathode into a housing of an electrochemical cell, disposing an anode into the housing, disposing a polymeric separator between the anode and the cathode such that the anode and the cathode are electrically separated, adding an alkaline electrolyte to the housing, cycling the electrochemical cell into the 2nd electron capacity of the manganese dioxide, and forming a layered manganese dioxide having a layered manganese dioxide structure with the one or more additives incorporated into the layered manganese dioxide structure. The cathode comprising a cathode material comprising: a manganese dioxide compound, one or more additives selected from the group consisting of bismuth, copper, tin, lead, silver, cobalt, nickel, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, lithium, calcium, gold, antimony, iron, zinc, and combinations thereof, and a conductive carbon.

Abstract: A method of operating a battery comprises discharging a cathode comprising manganese dioxide to within a 2nd electron capacity of the manganese dioxide at a C-rate of equal to or slower than C/10, recharging the battery, and cycling the battery during use a plurality of times. The cathode is in a battery, and the battery comprises the cathode, an anode, a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, and an electrolyte. The cathode comprises the manganese dioxide and a conductive carbon. The anode comprises: a metal component and a conductive carbon. The metal component can be a metal, metal oxide, or metal hydroxide, and the metal of the metal component can be zinc, lithium, aluminum, magnesium, iron, cadmium and a combination thereof.

Abstract: A battery comprises a housing, an electrolyte disposed in the housing, an anode disposed in the housing, a stabilized cathode disposed in the housing and comprising a cathode material. The cathode material comprises a composition selected from birnessite or layered-polymorph of manganese dioxide (?-MnO2), the composition being stabilized by bismuth and copper ions, a conductive carbon, and a binder. The anode can be at least 50% (m/m) lithium, magnesium, aluminum, or zinc.

Abstract: Provided are methods, devices and systems that utilize free-surface fluidics and SERS for analyte detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The molecules can be airborne agents, including but not limited to explosives, narcotics, hazardous chemicals, or other chemical species. The free-surface fluidic architecture is created using an open microchannel, and exhibits a large surface to volume ratio. The free-surface fluidic interface can filter interferent molecules, while concentrating airborne analyte molecules. The microchannel flow enables controlled aggregation of SERS-active probe particles in the flow, thereby enhancing the detector's sensitivity.

Abstract: A secondary alkaline battery using manganese dioxide is described. The battery includes a mixed cathode material with birnessite-phase manganese dioxide or electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD), a bismuth compound and a copper compound selected from the group consisting of elemental copper and a copper salt. In some embodiments, a conductive carbon and/or a binder may also be included.

Abstract: A rechargeable alkaline battery includes an anode comprising zinc, a cathode, and separator disposed between the anode and the cathode. The separator comprises a water-insoluble metal hydroxide. For example, the water-insoluble metal hydroxide can be magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, or any combination thereof. The separator comprising the water-insoluble metal hydroxide can serve to capture a portion of any zincate ions produced at the anode prior to the zincate ions passing through the separator to the cathode.

Abstract: An inventive, new system that measures gas composition and pressure in the headspace of an aqueous electrolyte battery is described. The system includes a microcontroller that can use the composition and pressure information to connect a third electrode to either the anode(s) or the cathode(s) in order to balance the state of charge between the two. Results have shown that such a system can control the gas pressure inside a sealed flooded aqueous electrolyte battery to remain below 20 kPa (3 psi) and greatly extend the useable life of the battery.

Abstract: A bipolar battery having at least two electrochemical cells electrically arranged in series includes a housing, an electrolyte, a bipolar electrode, an anode, a cathode, and first and second microporous separators. The bipolar electrode comprises a first anode material and a first cathode material. The first cathode and anode materials are disposed on opposite faces of a current collector. The anode comprises a second anode material comprising: a zinc compound, a zinc oxide compound, and a binder, and the cathode comprises a second cathode material comprising: a manganese oxide, a conductive carbon, and a copper compound. The first cathode material faces the second anode material, and the first anode material faces the second cathode material. The first microporous separator is disposed between the first cathode material and the second anode material, and the second microporous separator is disposed between the first anode material and the second cathode material.

Abstract: A secondary alkaline battery using manganese dioxide is described. The battery includes a mixed cathode material with birnessite-phase manganese dioxide or electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD), a bismuth compound and a copper compound selected from the group consisting of elemental copper and a copper salt. In some embodiments, a conductive carbon and/or a binder may also be included.

Abstract: A secondary alkaline battery includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a current collector, a cathode mixture in electrical contact with the current collector. The cathode mixture comprises: manganese oxide, a copper compound comprising copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or any combination thereof, a bismuth compound comprising bismuth, a salt of bismuth, or any combination thereof, and a conductive carbon. The secondary alkaline battery can also include a first composition in contact with the current collector and disposed between the current collector and the cathode mixture that includes copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.