Abstract: A secondary battery having a current interrupt device (CID) between a negative current collecting plate and a case of the secondary battery. The secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode; a case housing the electrode assembly; a cap assembly coupled to the case for sealing the case; a positive current collecting plate connected to the positive electrode and the cap assembly; an insulator in the case adjacent an end plate of the case; and a negative current collecting plate connected to the negative electrode and the end plate of the case, the end plate being curved convexly toward an inner cavity of the case.

Abstract: Separator for cylindrical cell of the outwardly guided type, wherein a sheet material is wound around a mandrel, and starting from the winding step until the insertion of a separator into the cell, an outward support is used that renders the binding of neighboring turns of the separator winding unnecessary, and the separator sheet has an extended portion, with the extension being at least equal to the radius of the separator cylinder, and with this extended portion being wetted with distilled or de-ionized water until the material softens and the winding and the mandrel are rotated and the bottom part is folded back and heat fused to close the separator cylinder.

Abstract: The invention provides a battery, which can improve battery characteristics such as high temperature storage characteristics. The battery comprises a battery device, wherein a cathode and an anode are wound with a separator in between. The anode contains an anode material capable of inserting and extracting Li as an anode active material. An electrolytic solution is impregnated in the separator. The electrolytic solution contains a solvent, and an electrolyte salt such as Li[B(CF3)4] dissolved in the solvent, which is expressed by a chemical formula of Li[B(RF1)(RF2)(RF3)RF4]RF 1, RF 2, RF 3, and RF 4 represent a perfluoro alkyl group whose number of fluorine or carbon is from 1 to 12, respectively. Consequently, high temperature storage characteristics are improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a cell separator in which a protective layer mainly composed of at least one type of granular ceramic is formed on a surface of a porous sheet base material. The method includes preparation of a water-based paste obtained by mixing a solid material containing the granular ceramic and a binder with an aqueous solvent to which at least one type of alcohol has been added, and formation of a protective layer in a state in which the alcohol has been eliminated by coating the prepared water-based paste onto a surface of the porous sheet base material, and further includes formation of the protective layer so that the solids content in the protective layer is higher than the solids content in the water-based paste by an amount of elimination of the alcohol, and is at least 55% by mass.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved industrial apparatus for the large-scale storage of energy and a process for storing and transporting electric energy by means of this apparatus.

Abstract: An alkaline battery including a positive electrode of a hollow cylindrical shape disposed in contact with an inner surface of a bottomed cylindrical battery case, a gelled negative electrode, a separator, and an alkaline electrolyte. The separator includes a cylindrical separator disposed in contact with the inner side surface of the positive electrode, and a bottom separator covering an opening of the cylindrical separator in the bottom side of the battery case. The bottom of the battery case includes: an annular base portion for supporting the positive electrode; an annular intermediate portion provided inwardly of the base portion, for supporting the bottom separator; and a terminal portion protruding outwardly from the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion has an inclined surface on the inner bottom surface of the battery case, the inclined surface being inclined downwardly from the base portion toward the terminal portion.

Abstract: Provided is a reactive polymer-supporting porous film for use as a battery separator which comprises a porous substrate film and a partially crosslinked reactive polymer supported on the porous substrate film, the partially crosslinked reactive polymer being obtained by the reaction of a crosslinkable polymer having at least one reactive group selected from the group consisting of 3-oxetanyl group and epoxy group in the molecule with a monocarboxylic acid. Further, provided is a method of manufacturing a battery which comprises layering electrodes on the reactive polymer-supporting porous film.

Abstract: A low volume collector assembly and an electrochemical cell employing a collector assembly are provided. The electrochemical cell includes an electrically conductive can having inner and outer electrodes disposed therein. The cell also includes a collector assembly assembled to an open end of the can to provide closure to the open end of the can. The collector assembly includes a seal and a cover assembled to the seal to provide a sealed closure to the open end of the can. The cover includes an integrally formed current collector portion that contacts one end of the inner electrode. The cover serves as a current collector and also serves as a contact terminal of the cell.

Abstract: In a mold for use in the production of a silica crucible, a mold cover corresponding to a small-diameter thinned portion of an upper part of the silica crucible is detachably disposed on a mold substrate corresponding to a main body of the silica crucible, and the mold cover has a barrier function against arc heating, and an inner diameter of the mold cover is smaller than that of the mold substrate but larger than that of the silica crucible.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical separators and to a process for making them. An electrical separator is a separator used in batteries and other arrangements in which electrodes have to be separated from each other while maintaining ion conductivity for example. The separator is preferably a thin porous insulating material possessing high ion permeability, good mechanical strength and long-term stability to the chemicals and solvents used in the system, for example in the electrolyte of the battery. In batteries, the separator should fully electrically insulate the cathode from the anode. Moreover, the separator has to be permanently elastic and to follow movements in the system, for example in the electrode pack in the course of charging and discharging.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte secondary cell that is superior in the cycle characteristic and security during cell overcharge is provided. The polymer electrolyte of the cell includes a non-aqueous solvent, a lithium salt, and a polymer. The non-aqueous solvent contains at least one of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate. The volume ratio (25° C., 1 atm) of the ethylene carbonate and the propylene carbonate combined to the non-aqueous solvent is equal to or more than 60%. The polymer is made of a copolymer having a monomer containing N,N-dimethyl acrylamide and a compound with three or more acrylate groups and/or methacrylate groups. The ratio of the compound to the total mass of the monomer is from 10 to 30 mass %. The ratio of the polymer to the polymer electrolyte is from 1.0 to 2.0 mass %.

Abstract: A secondary battery having an electrode assembly in which strip-shaped positive and negative electrode plates are spirally wound with a strip-shaped separator interposed therebetween, the positive and negative electrode plates comprising a current collector and a material mixture layer carried thereon. The positive electrode plate has, in a vicinity of a first end at an initial winding side, an exposed portion of the positive electrode current collector having no positive electrode material mixture formed thereon and a positive electrode lead connected to the exposed portion. A first winding turn outwardly adjacent to a connecting portion of the positive electrode lead with the separator interposed therebetween and a second winding turn outwardly adjacent to the first winding turn with the separator interposed therebetween comprise a portion of the negative electrode plate carrying the negative electrode material mixture layer.

Abstract: Lithium is a soft malleable metal and sticks to most materials when a fresh surface is exposed. Currently lithium anodes are pressed in a die with temporary polymer components protecting the pressing die. During anode pressing, the lithium anode sticks to these temporary components. They facilitate easy release of the lithium anode from the die via operator intervention. The pressed anode is then manually wrapped with a micro-porous polymeric separator material and built into the battery. This process is labor intensive and would be difficult to automate. By utilizing a formed polymer cup on the anode, both the anode pressing process and separator sealing process would be simplified and have potential options for automation. The cup would allow easy release from the anode pressing die and provide some of the insulation of the anode from regions of opposite polarity.

Abstract: An organic/inorganic composite separator includes a porous substrate having a plurality of pores; and a porous coating layer formed on at least one surface of the porous substrate with a plurality of inorganic particles and a binder polymer. The binder polymer is a copolymer including: (a) a first monomer unit having a contact angle to a water drop in the range from 0° to 49°; and (b) a second monomer unit having a contact angle to a water drop in the range from 50° to 130°. This organic/inorganic composite separator has excellent thermal stability, so it may restrain an electric short circuit between a cathode and an anode. In addition, the separator may prevent inorganic particles in the porous coating layer from being extracted during an assembling process of an electrochemical device, thereby improving stability of an electrochemical device.

Abstract: A metal-air battery includes a housing having an aperture for the passage of air and a pair of electrodes that extend from the housing. An air cathode may be interconnected with one of the electrodes and an anode may include a metal foil that is interconnected with another of the electrodes. A separator may be interposed between the air cathode and the metal foil and a barrier layer may surround the metal foil. The barrier layer may function to substantially reduce the passage of moisture to the metal foil. A method of making a metal-air battery is also presented.

Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ion, a negative electrode capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ion, a porous film interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte: the porous film being adhered to a surface of at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode; the porous film including a filler and a resin binder; the resin binder content in the porous film being 1.5 to 8 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the filler; and the resin binder including an acrylonitrile unit, an acrylate unit, or a methacrylate unit.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a gel electrolyte composed of a mixture comprising an acid and a high molecular compound. The acid is capable of causing the polymer compound to swell. The polymer compound may comprise a high molecular compound, such as, a partially methylated polybenzimidazole where at least one substituent R group of the polybenzimidazole structure is a methyl group. Additionally, the present invention is related to a fuel cell employing gel electrolyte of the present invention. The gel electrolyte of the present invention has good proton conductivity for a long period of time under conditions having a relative humidity in the range of about 0% to about 50% at an operating temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 300° C.

Abstract: Gel-forming battery separators and methods for constructing them. Particles are embedded into pores of a porous support to form a composite. The chemical make-up of surfaces of the particles includes a silanol group. The composite, when contacted with an effective amount of liquid electrolyte, is capable of forming a gelled matrix that includes electrolyte residing within the porous support. Batteries and methods of forming batteries featuring gel-forming separators are also disclosed. No pre-mixing of siliceous material with electrolyte is required facilitating battery construction.

Abstract: A separator capable of inhibiting the self-discharge of a battery. The separator is a battery separator obtained by applying a polymer having in the molecule a carbodiimide unit represented by the following formula (I): —[—R—N?C?N—]n—??(I) (wherein R means an organic group and n means an integer of 1 to 10,000) to a porous sheet substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a separator which is excellent in sticking and adhesion capability with the solid electrolyte, physically strong and highly heat-resistive and to provide a solid electrolyte condenser which is excellent in the impedance characteristic and leak current characteristic. In a solid electrolyte condenser comprising an anode foil, a cathode foil, a separator, the separator is made of a nonwoven fabric containing polyester resin or its derivative manufactured by the wet method. The condenser element is formed by rolling the anode foil and the cathode foil together with the separator between them. The solid electrolyte is provided between the anode foil and the cathode foil of the condenser element.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a battery electrode plate includes the steps of mixing a solvent (3) with a polyolefin resin (1); preparing a gel-like solution (5), a gelled solution as a whole having a high viscosity, by heating the mixture of the polyolefin and the solvent at a temperature at which a part or the whole of the polyolefin resin melts; forming an insulation layer (8) by coating the gel-like solution on the surface of the positive electrode plate or negative electrode plate (7); and heating the positive electrode plate or negative electrode plate formed with the insulation layer.

Abstract: A redox gel battery comprising at least one cell consisting of: (i) a positive gel electrolyte containing reactive ions which are reduced but do not undergo phase transfer during operation of the battery; (ii) a negative gel electrolyte containing reactive ions which are oxidized but do not undergo phase transfer during operation of the battery; and (iii) a membrane separating the positive and negative gel electrolytes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a conductive paste. The method includes deforming conductive particles so that a deformation degree is 1.01 to 1.5 by application of a stress to the conductive particles and mixing the deformed conductive particles with a binder that includes a thermosetting resin as the main component. The deformation degree is determined by dividing an average diameter of the conductive particles after deformation by an average diameter of the conductive particles before deformation, where the average diameter is measured by a laser diffraction method. The use of this conductive paste for a prepreg sheet having limited compressibility can suppress a short circuit between via holes and the degradation of insulation properties.

Abstract: A primary electrochemical cell with an anode comprising zinc alloy particles suspended in a fluid medium is disclosed. The zinc alloy particles include at least about 10 percent, by weight, of fines (particles of −200 mesh size) or dust (particles of −325 mesh size). The zinc particles are preferably alloyed with indium or bismuth and of acicular or flake form. The anode has a low resistivity at low zinc loadings, and the cell demonstrates good mechanical stability and overall performance.

Abstract: A valve regulated lead-acid battery having a plurality of negative and positive electrode plates, a plurality of separators soaked with electrolyte interleaved between the plates, a negative strap and positive strap interconnecting the respective plurality of negative and positive electrodes includes separator material soaked with electrolyte disposed adjacent to the negative strap to thereby increase oxygen reduction.

Abstract: A process for making a composite ion exchange membrane including fabricating a layered membrane precursor including a microporous support of highly fluorinated nonionic polymer adhered to a layer of highly fluorinated sulfonyl halide polymer, hydrolyzing the layered membrane precursor to convert the highly fluorinated sulfonyl halide polymer to highly fluorinated sulfonate polymer, impregnating the microporous support with a dispersion of highly fluorinated sulfonate polymer or precursor thereof in a polar liquid medium after hydrolyzing, removing the polar liquid medium, and heating to coalesce the highly fluorinated sulfonated polymer in the support.

Abstract: A method for producing polybenzimidazole (PBI) paste or gel useful in a fuel cell, mixing PBI polymer with a suitable amount of an acid, which permits the polymer to dissolve and form a matrix having a gel-like or paste-like consistency at room temperature.

Abstract: The unnecessary portion of the separator which prevents the short-circuit between the cathode and the anode In the center of a cylindrical cell is cut off using cutting apparatus or laser beam to increase the inner space of the cell and the electrolyte, and to have higher cell capacity and lower inner pressure of the can while producing gas.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a first active electrode material having a tubular shape closed at one end and open at the other, a second active electrode material disposed within the cavity of the tubular shaped first active electrode material, a scrolled separator disposed between the sidewalls of the cavity and the second active electrode material, and an insulator disc disposed between the closed end of the cavity and the second active electrode material. The scrolled separator and insulator disc cooperate to provide a liner which provides a continuous electrical and physical barrier between the cavity walls and the second active electrode material disposed within the cavity. The cell utilizes a simple design which minimizes space occupied by the separator and insulator disc, while maximizing the available area for ion mass transfer between the electrodes, whereby greater cell efficiency and improved performance characteristics are achieved.

Abstract: A battery cell includes at a plurality of composite separator/electrode structures, each composite structure including a support member having a plurality of parallel, closely spaced ribs defining a plurality of grooves which extend longitudinally of the support member, alternating ones of the grooves having a positive paste of an active material therein, and the remaining grooves having a negative paste of an active material therein, and a current collector lead wire in each groove embedded in the paste and centrally located in the groove with the terminal ends of the lead wires of the positive electrodes extending out of one end of the composite structure and being interconnected to form a positive termination, and the terminal ends of the lead wires of the negative electrodes extending out of the opposite end of the composite structure and being interconnected to form a negative termination, a plurality of the battery cells being stacked together to form a battery having a desired amp hour capacity.

Abstract: An improved battery of the type formed of cells stacked in series. The positive and negative electrodes of each cell being separated by a separator and each cell being separated by a respective bipolar wall. A sleeve-like seal is provided around the periphery of each cell. The seal is preferably made of a nonwettable material that can be made in a flexible form, such as boron nitride. The barrier seal being in sealing contact with opposed planar faces of bipolar walls bounding each cell. The seal is preferably affixed to the bipolar walls by a paintable cement made of a mixture of boron nitride powder and a clay binder suspended in a nonaqueous organic vehicle.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell electrode plate includes a laminar and preferably laminated assembly of at least two substantially identically configured plate-shaped components of an electrically conductive high-strength material, each including a fluid-pervious central portion and a solid frame portion integral with and surrounding the central portion. At least one through aperture is provided in the frame portion and forms a continuous fluid-flow conduit with the corresponding aperture of the other component. The frame portion of each of the components has at least one channel therein that is situated between the aperture and the central portion and opens onto the first major surface. The channels of the two components may be constituted by interrupted rows of mutually staggered slots that complement each other into a continuous passage that establishes communication between the aperture and at least one of the spaces of the central portion of one of the components.

Abstract: An air-assisted alkaline cell having a zinc-containing anode encased within a closed end cylindrical shaped separator (such as cellophane) that is substantially permeable to hydrogen and substantially nonpermeable to the cell's electrolyte, and having a gel coating (such as starch) deposited on the exposed area of the anode within the separator so that the electrolyte in the anode will be substantially entrained within the separator/gel coating compartment while hydrogen will be free to exit the separator/gel coating compartment.

Abstract: A sealed lead-acid battery which includes a container accommodating an assembled element. The assembled element has at least one electrochemically formed positive plate having a grid of an antimony-free alloy, wherein the plate is made of porous active material. The assembled element also includes at least one electrochemically formed negative plate having a grid of an antimony-free lead alloy, wherein the plate is made of a porous active material. A separator, having a plurality of projections on one or both side thereof, is inserted between the positive and negative plates. A layer of powder is placed between the positive and negative plates and around the assembled element. The powder is composed of a closely packed powder, which is acid-resistant and hydrophilic, and has gas channels within its interior. The powder is immobilized with an acid-resistant porous layer placed above the powder, wherein the porous layer is permeable to gases and liquids, and impervious to particles of the powder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet-shaped polymer secondary battery of layer built type which is a laminate of plurality of sheet-shaped unit cells each of which comprising the following elements (a) to (c):(a) a positive electrode made of a film-shaped polymer having conjugated double bonds and provided with a thin metal layer at one side of the surface of the film and capable of reversibly doping and undoping negative ions,(b) a negative electrode made of a film-shaped polymer having conjugated double bonds and provided with a thin metal layer at one side of the surface of the film and capable of reversibly doping and undoping positive ions, and(c) an insulating porous separator supporting a dopant-containing electrolyte and existing between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.