Zinc Component Patents (Class 429/229)
  • Publication number: 20080160402
    Abstract: There is provided an alkaline battery produced by sealing in an outer package body: a positive mixture containing at least one selected from manganese dioxide and a nickel oxide, a conducting agent, and an alkaline electrolytic solution (A) containing potassium hydroxide; a separator; and a negative mixture containing zinc alloy powder, a gelling agent, and an alkaline electrolytic solution (B) containing potassium hydroxide where a concentration of potassium hydroxide of the alkaline electrolytic solution (A) is 45 wt % or more, and a concentration of potassium hydroxide of the alkaline electrolytic solution (B) is 35 wt % or less. Because of this, an alkaline battery can be provided, which has desirable load characteristics, prevents the generation of gas, prevents a decrease in a storage property due to the reaction with an electrolytic solution, and has heat generation behavior suppressed at a time of occurrence of a short-circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Noriyuki ITO, Minajuro Ushijima, Shinichi Iwamoto, Tetsuo Izu
  • Publication number: 20080160410
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are double-layer cathode active materials comprising a nickel-based cathode active material as an inner layer material and a transition metal mixture-based cathode active material as an outer layer material facing an electrolyte. Since the nickel-based cathode active material as an inner layer material has high-capacity characteristics and the transition metal mixture-based cathode active material as an outer layer material facing an electrolyte has superior thermal safety, the double-layer cathode active materials have high capacity, high charge density, improved cycle characteristics and superior thermal safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: IUCF-HYU (Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University)
    Inventors: Yang Kook Sun, Myung Hoon Kim, Shin Ho Suk
  • Publication number: 20080160403
    Abstract: There is provided an alkaline battery produced by sealing in an outer package body: a positive mixture containing at least one selected from manganese dioxide and a nickel oxide, a conducting agent, and an alkaline electrolytic solution (A) containing potassium hydroxide; a separator; and a negative mixture containing zinc alloy powder, a gelling agent, and an alkaline electrolytic solution (B) containing potassium hydroxide where a concentration of potassium hydroxide of the alkaline electrolytic solution (A) is 45 wt % or more, and a concentration of potassium hydroxide of the alkaline electrolytic solution (B) is 35 wt % or less. Because of this, an alkaline battery can be provided, which has desirable load characteristics, prevents the generation of gas, prevents a decrease in a storage property due to the reaction with an electrolytic solution, and has heat generation behavior suppressed at a time of occurrence of a short-circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Noriyuki ITO, Minajuro Ushijima, Shinichi Iwamoto, Tetsuo Izu
  • Patent number: 7393612
    Abstract: An alkaline secondary battery which is characterized in that it comprises, a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide having a value of 0.8° or more in the half-width of a peak in the (101) plane thereof as measured by X-ray powder diffraction (2?) using Cu—K? ray, and 4.0 to 15% by weight of at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc and zinc compounds, and an alkali electrolyte, the ratio of which to theoretical capacity of the positive electrode being 0.7 to 2.0 cm3/Ah, the weight of the at least one material being one calculated as zinc element and based on the weight of the nickel hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Wakabayashi, Kunihiko Miyamoto, Tetsuya Yamane, Naomi Bando, Kiyoshi Ishitsuka, Ken-ichi Kanno, Hidekazu Oppata
  • Publication number: 20080152995
    Abstract: A cathode active material is provided, having d-MOS2(FeS2, ZnS) A cathode material is provided, including the cathode active material. A method for preparing the cathode active material is provided. A secondary aqueous lithium-ion battery (LIB) is provided, including the cathode material. Accordingly, it is possible to fabricate a secondary aqueous LIB which has an excellent charge/discharge performance and improves the charge/discharge cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: SARACOM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kum-sho HWANG
  • Publication number: 20080153003
    Abstract: Zinc alloy for use in an alkaline battery, the alloy including aluminium, bismuth, indium, magnesium, strontium and optionally lead, besides the unavoidable impurities in the aforementioned metals. The alloy can be made by adding pre-alloys of some of the alloying elements or of zinc. The alloy proves useful in reducing the hydrogen gas evolution of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: CELAYA, EMPARANZA Y GALDOS, S.A. (CEGASA)
    Inventor: Francisco Javier Alday Lesaga
  • Publication number: 20080145755
    Abstract: An article of electrochemical energy conversion is provided that includes a separator. The separator has a first surface that defines at least a portion of a first chamber, and a second surface that defines a second chamber, and the first chamber is in ionic communication with the second chamber through the separator. The energy storage device further includes a plurality of cathodic materials. The plurality includes at least a first cathodic material and a second cathodic material. Both of the cathodic materials are in electrical communication with the separator and both are capable of forming a metal halide. A proviso is that if either of the first cathodic material or the second cathodic material is a transition metal, then the other cathodic material is not iron, arsenic, or tin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles Dominic Iacovangelo, David Charles Bogdan, Steven Alfred Tysoe, Michael Alan Vallance, Guillermo Daniel Zappi, Karthick Vilapakkam Gourishankar, Hari Nadathur Seshadri, Guruprasad Sundararajan
  • Publication number: 20080145757
    Abstract: Provided are a porous anode active material, a method of preparing the same, and an anode and a lithium battery employing the same. The porous anode active material includes fine particles of metallic substance capable of forming a lithium alloy; a crystalline carboneous substance; and a porous carboneous material coating and attaching to the fine particles of metallic substance and the crystalline carboneous substance, the porous anode active material having pores exhibiting a bimodal size distribution with two pore diameter peaks as measured by a Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore size distribution from a nitrogen adsorption. The porous anode active material has the pores having a bimodal size distribution, and thus may efficiently remove a stress occurring due to a difference of expansion between a carboneous material and a metallic active material during charging and discharging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Sang-kook Mah, Han-su Kim, Dong-min Im
  • Publication number: 20080145759
    Abstract: A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery includes Si active particles, and a 3-component to 7-component metal matrix that surrounds the active fine particles without reacting therewith. The negative active material shows high capacity and improved cycle-life characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Min-Seok Sung, Sang-Jin Kim, Goo-Jin Jeong, Yong-Mook Kang
  • Publication number: 20080138708
    Abstract: A cathode active material has: a composite oxide particle containing at least lithium Li and cobalt Co; and a coating layer provided in a part of the composite oxide particle and having an oxide containing Li and an element of one of nickel Ni, manganese Mn, and cobalt Co. A ratio [Ni(T)Co(S)/Ni(S)Co(T)] of an atomic ratio [Ni(T)/Co(T)] of Ni to Co as an average of the whole cathode active material to an atomic ratio [Ni(S)/Co(S)] of Ni to Co in the surface of the cathode active material is larger than a ratio [Mn(T)Co(S)/Mn(S)Co(T)] of an atomic ratio [Mn(T)/Co(T)] of Mn to Co as an average of the whole cathode active material to an atomic ratio [Mn(S)/Co(S)] of Mn to Co in the surface of the cathode active material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruo Watanabe, Masayoshi Isago, Tomoyo Ooyama
  • Publication number: 20080138710
    Abstract: A composition for use in an electrochemical redox reaction is described. The composition may comprise a material represented by a general formula MyXO4 or AxMyXO4, where each of A (where present), M, and X independently represents at least one element, O represents oxygen, and each of x (where present) and y represent a number, and an oxide of at least one element, wherein the material and the oxide are cocrystalline, and/or wherein a volume of a crystalline structural unit of the composition is larger than a volume of a crystalline structural unit of the material alone. An electrode comprising such a composition is also described, as is an electrochemical cell comprising such an electrode. A process of preparing a composition for use in an electrochemical redox reaction is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Ben-Jie Liaw, Wen-Ren Liu, Sheng-Shih Chang
  • Patent number: 7378189
    Abstract: The present invention provides: an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery containing lithium boron mixed oxide having a monoclinic LiBO2 structure and represented by a chemical formula LiB1-xDxO2-yEy (wherein, D represents a substitution element of boron B, E represents a substitution element of oxygen O, 0<x<0.5, and 0?y<0.1); an electrode structure employing the electrode material; and a lithium secondary battery having the electrode structure. Accordingly, the present invention provides: an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery having a voltage of 3.0 V (vs. Li/Li+) or more, a usable capacity exceeding 200 mAh/g, and a high energy density; an electrode structure employing the electrode material; and a lithium second battery having the electrode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Soichiro Kawakami, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20080118833
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode that contains a lithium composite oxide as an active material. The cut-off voltage of charge is set to 4.25 to 4.5 V. In a region where the positive electrode and the negative electrode face each other, the Wp/Wn ratio R is in the range from 1.3 to 19 where Wp is the weight of the active material contained in the positive electrode per unit area and Wn is the weight of the active material contained in the negative electrode per unit area. This battery is excellent in safety, cycle characteristics, and storage characteristics even when the cut-off voltage of charge in a normal operating condition is set to 4.25 V or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Atsushi Ueda, Shoichiro Watanabe, Takeshi Yao, Takashi Takeuchi, Takayuki Shirane, Takaya Saito, Hiromi Nagata
  • Patent number: 7374840
    Abstract: This invention relates to centrifugal atomized zinc alloy powders for alkaline batteries consisting of (a) 0.005-2% by weight of indium, and 0.005-0.2% by weight of either one of Al and Bi, or (b) 0.005-2% by weight of indium, and 0.005-0.2% by weight of Bi, and 0.001-0.5% of either one or both of Al and Ca, or (c) 0.005-2% by weight of either one or both of Bi and Al, and 0-0.5% by weight of Pb, the remainder being zinc. The powder is obtained by centrifugal atomisation in a protective atmosphere, where the oxygen content is less than 4% by volume. The resistance to corrosion in the electrolyte of the battery, especially after partial discharge, is markedly better than when the same alloys are prepared by the traditional production process. The capacity of batteries containing these powders is very good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Umicore
    Inventors: Yvan Strauven, Bruno Gay
  • Patent number: 7364819
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell with a blended zinc powder is disclosed. The blended zinc powder includes selected portions of a first zinc powder and a second zinc powder. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second powders are divided into groups based on ranges in their particle size distribution. Particle characteristics such as roughness and elongation are used to selected groups of both powders that are combined to produce the blended zinc powder. The blended zinc powders enable battery manufacturers to maximize the cell's run time while minimizing the cost of the zinc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Danan Fan
  • Publication number: 20080090147
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery is provided with a positive electrode of tin, a negative electrode of zinc and an alkaline electrolyte. Upon charging, some tin is converted to stannic oxide, and zinc oxide is reduced to zinc. When the battery is discharged, stannic oxide is reduced to stannous oxide and zinc is oxidized to zinc oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventor: John E. Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20080085448
    Abstract: A high-quality alkaline dry battery with small variation in the internal resistance having suppressed variations in the heights of positive electrode mixture pellets in a manufacturing process is provided. In an alkaline dry battery including: at least one hollow cylindrical positive electrode mixture pellet containing manganese dioxide and graphite; a gel negative electrode containing zinc; and a separator interposed between the positive electrode mixture pellet and gel negative electrode; manganese dioxide containing at least manganese dioxide particles having a particle diameter of 10 ?m or less of 25 to 35% and manganese dioxide particles having a particle diameter of 60 to 100 ?m of 15 to 25% in a particle size distribution based on volume is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Seiji Wada, Eiji Tano
  • Patent number: 7351499
    Abstract: The cathode of an alkaline battery can include an electrically conductive additive to increase the cathode efficiency. The additive can include a barium salt and an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material can be coated on a surface of the barium salt. The electrically conductive material can be an electrically conductive metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Nikolay K. Iltchev, Ou Mao, Cahit Eylem, George Cintra, Leslie J. Pinnell
  • Patent number: 7344803
    Abstract: An alkaline primary cell which is improved in reduction of self-discharge and cell capacity under storage at a high temperature, has a prolonged life and makes use of nickel oxyhydroxide is provided inexpensively. ?-Form nickel oxyhydroxide is contained in a positive electrode mixture as an active material, which contains cobalt and zinc as a substitutional element for solid solution, and has a total amount X+Y of molar ratios of cobalt atom X and zinc atom Y such that 2?X+Y?16, with a mixing ratio satisfying the relationship of Y?3/2×X+1/2 and Y?2/3×X ?1/3, and where a diffraction peak obtained as a result of measurement of X-ray powder diffraction of nickel oxyhydroxide appears only in the vicinity of 18.5° within a range of 2?=10°-30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignees: FDK Corporation, Tanaka Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueki, Yoshiro Harada, Mitsuhiro Nakamura, Hiroto Sagisaka, Takeshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7341803
    Abstract: An alkaline battery cell with improved high rate and high power discharge capacity is provided, without sacrificing capacity at low rate and low power, by adding at least a second anode or cathode, reducing the effective maximum electrode thicknesses, and increasing the active material density in one or more electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Weiwei Huang, Philip J. Slezak
  • Patent number: 7332248
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided wherein the positive electrode is made from a lithium-metal composite oxide represented by the general formula Lix(Ni1-y, Coy)1-zMzO2 (0.98?x?1.10, 0.05?y?0.4, 0.01?z?0.2, in which M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Mn, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn and Ga), and having an average particle diameter of 5 ?m to 10 ?m a C-amount of 0.14 wt % or less measured by way of the high-frequency heating-IR absorption method, and a Karl Fischer moisture content of 0.2 wt % or less when heated to 180° C. and the method comprising the steps of applying a paste of active material for positive electrode to electrode plate to make an electrode, then drying the electrode, and pressing and then installing the electrode in a battery, in a work atmosphere having an absolute moisture content of 10 g/m3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignees: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Kase, Shigeki Kubo, Hirofumi Iisaka, Ko Nozaki, Satoru Suzuki, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 7332247
    Abstract: A cell and a method for preparing an electrochemical cell having an electrode containing a mixture of agglomerated particles and nonagglomerated particles are disclosed. The process enables the incorporation of small particles of electrochemically active material, such as zinc dust, into the electrode's formula while preventing undesirable segmentation of the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Quinn C. Horn
  • Patent number: 7314681
    Abstract: An alkaline battery cell with increased discharge capacity is provided. Both the internal volume and the electrode interfacial surface area are increased, without unnecessarily increasing the overall cell volume, by increasing the height but not the diameter of the electrodes, thereby avoiding an unnecessary increase in the total cell volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Fred Randell, Richard A. Langan
  • Patent number: 7314684
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries of general formula Li1+xNi?Mn?A?O2 and further wherein A is Mg, Zn, Al, Co, Ga, B, Zr, or Ti and 0<x<0.2, 0.1???0.5, 0.4???0.6, 0???0.1 and a method of manufacturing the same. Such an active material is manufactured by employing either a solid state reaction method or an aqueous solution method or a sol-gel method which is followed by a rapid quenching from high temperatures into liquid nitrogen or liquid helium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: U Chicago Argonne LLC
    Inventors: Sun-Ho Kang, Khalil Amine
  • Patent number: 7314492
    Abstract: In a method in which the inside surface of the negative electrode cup of an alkaline battery is coated with metal or metal alloy having a higher hydrogen overpotential than copper, the mask used for coating processing has the shape in which: when d is the diameter of the negative electrode cup, t is the plate thickness of the negative electrode cup, A is the diameter of the mask opening on the negative electrode cup mounting side, B is the diameter of the mask opening on the negative electrode cup supplying side, h is the depth of the negative electrode cup, C is the thickness of mask on negative electrode cup mounting side, and D is a tapered angle of the mask opening on the negative electrode cup, 2(2t+d)?B>A ?0.7d, (A/2)?h?C>0 mm, and 90°>D?45° are satisfied to coat only the inside surface area except a cuff portion and cuff bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Ohhara, Satoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7311997
    Abstract: Rechargeable batteries have been fabricated using doped nonconjugated conductive polymers as the cathode and various metals such as aluminum, copper and zinc as the anode. A nonconjugated conductive polymer is a polymer with at least one double bond in the repeat with the double bond number fraction of less than ½. The dopants include electron acceptors such as iodine. Various electrolytes including potassium iodide dissolved in water can be used. A paste formed by dissolving potassium iodide and poly(vinyl alcohol) in water has been used to demonstrate batteries in the shape of large-area sheets (11 cm×11 cm×5 mm). An open circuit voltage of 1.25 volts and a capacity more than 5 mAh have been observed. The batteries are rechargeable using an external power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Inventor: Mrinal Thakur
  • Patent number: 7306641
    Abstract: An integral fuel cartridge and filter apparatus includes a fuel cartridge, a filter housing coupled to the fuel cartridge, and a filter coupled to the filter housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alan R Arthur, John H. Dion
  • Patent number: 7300721
    Abstract: The invention relates to secondary alkaline electrochemical generators with a zinc anode in an electrolyte, the active mass of said anode comprising at least one conductive ceramic. According to the invention, the electrolyte of the generator is made up of a highly-concentrated alkaline solution and/or the active mass of the zinc anode contains an additive comprising at least one alkaline titanate having general formula (M2O)n(Ti)2)mxH2O, wherein M denotes Li, Na, K, Rb or Cs, n being between 0.5 and 2, m being between 1 and 10 and x being between 0 and 10, or alkaline earth having general formula (MO)n(TiO2)mxH2O, wherein M denotes Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba, n being between 1 and 5, m being between 1 and 10 and x being between 0 and 10. The invention also relates to the zinc anode of the generators used in the invention and the production method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: S.C.P.S. Societe de Conseil et de Prospective Scientifique S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Bugnet, Denis Doniat, Robert Rouget
  • Patent number: 7297437
    Abstract: An electric device comprises a gelled acid electrolyte (142A) in complex with a lanthanide that forms a redox pair with a second element. Preferred electric devices include batteries and especially primary batteries, while preferred acid electrolytes (124A) have a sulfonic acid group. Contemplated lanthanides especially include cerium, and preferred second elements particularly include zinc. Alternatively, contemplated electric devices may comprise a gelled electrolyte (142A) in which with a lanthanide forms a redox pair with zinc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Plurion Limited
    Inventors: Robert Clarke, Brian Dougherty, Stephen Harrison, J. Peter Millington, Samaresh Mohanta
  • Publication number: 20070264572
    Abstract: Batteries, as well as related components and methods, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventor: Michael J. Zuraw
  • Patent number: 7291186
    Abstract: A solid porous zinc electrode for use in alkaline-zinc batteries, zinc-air batteries and fuel cells is provided which comprises specific zinc filaments, fibers, threads or strands compressed into a physically-stable wooly mass to form the electrode with a controlled geometrical shape and porosity distribution. Differential densification incorporates ribs, borders, grids or tabs for good structural integrity, mechanical strength, electrochemical behavior, and electrical conductivity. Pressing in a mold or rolling of a compressed sheet can also provide an anode with a large anode/cathode interface area and a complex geometry. The filaments of controlled dimension and composition are preferably made by spin forming from molten zinc alloys. Such anodes are not susceptible to breakage, have a long storage life and can be used in high rate discharge applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Teck Cominco Metals Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiaoge Gregory Zhang
  • Patent number: 7288126
    Abstract: A battery cell, and methods of manufacturing the same, having significantly improved capacity utilization at high discharge rates while maintaining much of the energy content and other feature advantages of typical cylindrical or prismatic alkaline cells, by implementing a novel cell construction that produces increased surface area between the anode and cathode. The cell comprises an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and disposed within the interior space of the housing. The inner electrode comprises a substantially flat material in a folded configuration and formed such that an outer extent of the inner electrode is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior surface of the cell housing. Two outer electrode portions are disposed within the interior space of the housing such that it is in ionic communication with the inner electrode and in electrical communication with the first terminal of the cell housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Rechargeable Battery Corporation
    Inventors: John Gordon, Brendan Coffey, David Manko, Charles Edward Sesock
  • Patent number: 7285260
    Abstract: Method of synthesis for a material made of particles having a core and a coating and/or being connected to each other by carbon cross-linking, the core of these particles containing at least one compound of formula LixM1?yM?y(XO4)n, in which x,y and n are numbers such as 0?x?2, 0?y?0.6 and 1?n?1.5, M is a transition metal, M? is an element with fixed valency, and the synthesis is carried out by reaction and bringing into equilibrium the mixture of precursors, with a reducing gaseous atmosphere, in such a way as to bring the transition metal or metals to the desired valency level, the synthesis being carried out in the presence of a source of carbon called carbon conductor, which is subjected to pyrolysis. The materials obtained have excellent electrical conductivity as well as very improved chemical activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignees: Hydro Quebec, CNRS, Universite de Montreal
    Inventors: Michel Armand, Michel Gauthier, Jean-Francois Magnan, Nathalie Ravet
  • Publication number: 20070231692
    Abstract: A zinc-alkaline battery includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a separator, and an electrolyte. The negative electrode contains a zinc alloy powder including 20 to 50 wt % of a micropowder with a particle size of 75 ?m or less. In a constant resistance discharge, a time period for the negative electrode potential to rise is shorter than a time period for the positive electrode potential to fall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Fumio Kato, Yuji Mototani
  • Patent number: 7273680
    Abstract: A primary alkaline battery includes a cathode including a nickel oxyhydroxide and an anode including zinc or zinc alloy particles. Performance of the nickel oxyhydroxide alkaline cell is improved by adding zinc fines to the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Durkot, Dean MacNeil, Paul A. Christian, Francis Wang, George Cintra, James R. Costanzo
  • Patent number: 7270911
    Abstract: A load leveling battery (122) comprising an electrolyte that includes a cerium zinc redox pair wherein preferred electrolytes are acid electrolytes, and most preferably comprise methane sulfonic acid. Contemplated load leveling batteries (122) have an open circuit voltage of at least 2.4 Volt per cell. Such batteries are useful at power grid substations (120) and commercial and industrial applications were large amounts of power are used. Preferred capacity is at least 100,000 kWh, more preferably 250,000 kWh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Plurion Limited
    Inventors: Robert Lewis Clarke, Brian Dougherty, Stephen Harrison, Peter J. Millington, Samaresh Mohanta
  • Patent number: 7264904
    Abstract: A battery cell, such as a cylindrical alkaline cell, is disclosed having significantly improved capacity utilization at high discharge rates while maintaining much of the energy content and other feature advantages of typical cylindrical alkaline cells, by implementing a novel cell construction that produces increased surface area between the anode and cathode. One particular characterization of the cell construction of the present invention comprises an electrochemical battery cell comprising a cell housing defining an interior space having an interior surface, a first terminal and a second terminal. The cell further comprises an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and disposed within the interior space of the housing. The inner electrode has a thin cross section in a folded configuration and is formed such that an outer extent of the inner electrode is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior surface of the cell housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Rechargeable Battery Corporation
    Inventors: Brendan Coffey, Charles Edward Sesock, Ramesh C. Kainthla, David John Manko, Quincy Glenn Holloter
  • Patent number: 7264898
    Abstract: A rectangular-shaped primary zinc-air battery is provided. Hence, many components of the primary zinc-air battery can be designed in shapes of sheets for easy production. In addition, the primary zinc-air battery comprises two sheets of air cathodes on opposite sides of the zinc-air battery to double the power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Inventors: De-Qian Yang, Yu-Qiang Yang
  • Patent number: 7264903
    Abstract: A battery cell having significantly improved capacity utilization at high discharge rates while maintaining much of the energy content and other feature advantages of typical cylindrical or prismatic alkaline cells, by implementing a novel cell construction that produces increased surface area between the anode and cathode. The cell comprises an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and disposed within the interior space of the housing. The inner electrode comprises a substantially flat material in a folded configuration and formed such that an outer extent of the inner electrode is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior surface of the cell housing. An outer electrode is disposed within the interior space of the housing such that it is in ionic communication with the inner electrode and in electrical communication with the first terminal of the cell housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Rechargeable Battery Corporation
    Inventors: Brendan Coffey, Charles Sesock, Lawrence Tinker
  • Patent number: 7252905
    Abstract: A battery (100) comprises an electrolyte in which a lanthanide and zinc form a redox pair. Preferred electrolytes are acid electrolytes, and most preferably comprise methane sulfonic acid, and it is further contemplated that suitable electrolytes may include at least two lanthanides. Contemplated lanthanides include cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, terbium, and dysprosium, and further contemplate lanthanides are samarium, europium, thulium and ytterbium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Plurion Limited
    Inventors: Robert Clarke, Brian Dougherty, Stephen Harrison, J. Peter Millington, Samaresh Mohanta
  • Patent number: 7247407
    Abstract: An electrode containing zinc-based particles suspended in a fluid medium is disclosed. The zinc-based particles have a multi-modal distribution, such as a bi-modal distribution, of particle sizes, particle morphologies and/or particle compositions. The electrode can be used as the anode in an alkaline battery, such as a primary alkaline battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Richard Edward Durkot, Lifun Lin, Peter Bayard Harris
  • Patent number: 7244529
    Abstract: In order to obtain an alkaline dry battery low in the possibility of electrolyte leakage and excellent in discharge performance as well as an alkaline dry battery which is not likely to cause an internal short circuit even with the use of a thin separator, as a zinc powder used is one including 65 to 75 wt % of first zinc particles having a particle size of larger than 75 ?m and not larger than 425 ?m, and 25 to 35 wt % of second zinc particles having a particle size of not larger than 75 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Fujiwara, Shigeto Noya, Yasuo Mukai, Michiko Fujiwara, Shinichi Sumiyama, Takeshi Okubo, Yasuko Hoshina
  • Patent number: 7232628
    Abstract: Alkaline electrochemical cells with substantially increased performance characteristics have a porous anode, with a porosity equal to or greater than 69%, and a porous cathode, comprising manganese dioxide and having a porosity equal to or greater than 26%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher F. Randell
  • Patent number: 7229717
    Abstract: A battery with a high capacity and superior cycle characteristics, and an anode active material used for it are provided. An anode active material contains tin as a first element, a second element, and a third element. The second element is at least one from the group consisting of boron, carbon, aluminum, and phosphorus, and the third element is at least one from the group consisting of silicon, magnesium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, silver, indium, cerium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, and bismuth. The content of the second element in the anode active material is from 9.8 wt % to 49 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yamaguchi, Satoshi Mizutani, Hiroshi Inoue, Koji Sekai
  • Patent number: 7229715
    Abstract: An anode includes zinc particles. At least about 30% by weight of the zinc particles are spherical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: James Costanzo, Lifun Lin
  • Patent number: 7226696
    Abstract: Alkaline electrochemical cells having extended service life and acceptable gassing and corrosion properties are disclosed. An amphoteric surfactant can be incorporated into the gelled anode mixture of an alkaline electrochemical cell, optionally with an organic phosphate ester surfactant or a sulfonic acid type organic surfactant or both. Zinc particles having a defined distribution of particle sizes can also be incorporated into a zinc anode. The electrolyte included in the anode mixture can have a reduced hydroxide concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Rayovac Corporation
    Inventors: Ernest Ndzebet, M. Edgar Armacanqui, Mario Destephen, Andrew J. Roszkowski, William C. Bushong, Viet H. Vu
  • Patent number: 7208244
    Abstract: A catalyst comprising a di-ruthenium-substituted polyoxometalate, especially Na14[Ru2Zn2(H2O)2(ZnW9O34)2] with a Ru—Ru distance of 0.318 nm and a method of using the electrocatalyst to generate oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Auburn University
    Inventors: Curtis G. Shannon, Annette R. Howells
  • Patent number: 7183018
    Abstract: An electrode material for an anode of a rechargeable lithium battery, containing a particulate comprising an amorphous Sn.A.X alloy with a substantially non-stoichiometric ratio composition. For said formula Sn.A.X, A indicates at least one kind of an element selected from a group consisting of transition metal elements, X indicates at least one kind of an element selected from a group consisting of O, F, N, Mg, Ba, Sr, Ca, La, Ce, Si, Ge, C, P, B, Pb, Bi, Sb, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Zn, Be, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, As, Se, Te, Li and S, where the element X is not always necessary to be contained. The content of the constituent element Sn of the amorphous Sn.A.X alloy is Sn/(Sn+A+X)=20 to 80 atomic %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Soichiro Kawakami, Masaya Asao
  • Patent number: 7179310
    Abstract: A method of forming an anode comprising zinc for a zinc/air cell. The method involves mixing zinc particles with binders including preferably polyvinylalcohol, surfactant and water to form a wet paste. The wet paste is compacted and molded into the near shape of the cell's anode cavity and then heated to evaporate water. A solid porous zinc mass is formed wherein the zinc particles are held bound within a network with microscopic void spaces between the zinc particles. The solid mass can be inserted into the cell's anode cavity and aqueous alkaline electrolyte, preferably comprising potassium hydroxide, then added. The solid mass absorbs the aqueous electrolyte and expands to fill the anode cavity to form the final fresh anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Zhiping Jiang, George Cintra
  • Patent number: RE39676
    Abstract: A flexible thin layer open liquid state electrochemical cell which can be used as a primary or rechargeable power supply for various miniaturized and portable electrically powered devices of compact design. The cell includes a wet electrolyte, yet maintains a fexible, thin and open configuration, thus devoid of accumulation of gases upon storage. The cell comprising a first layer of insoluble negative pole, a second layer of insoluble positive pole and a third layer of aqueous electrolyte, the third layer being disposed between the first and second layers and including a deliquescent material for keeping the open cell wet at all times; an electroactive soluble material for obtaining required ionic conductivity; and, a watersoluble polymer for obtaining a required viscosity for adhering the first and second layers to the third layer. The electrochemical cell of the present invention is preferably produced using a suitable printing technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Power Paper Ltd.
    Inventor: Zvi Nitzan