Abstract: In a sintered nickel electrode for alkaline storage battery formed by filling nickel hydroxide as an active material into a porous sintered substrate and an alkaline storage battery using as its positive electrode the sintered nickel electrode for alkaline storage battery, tungstic acid is adhered to a surface of said nickel hydroxide as an active material.

Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride storage battery which includes a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide, a negative electrode containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy and an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode contains a hydroxide and/or an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanoid and bismuth, and the negative electrode contains a hydroxide and/or an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanoid.

Abstract: A multicell assembly for a redox flow electrolyzer is constituted by alternately stacking pre-assembled elements, typically an electrode subassembly including porous mat electrodes on opposite faces of a conductive plate and a permionic membrane subassembly. Pressure drops in circulating the electrolyte solutions through respective cell compartments, in contact with fluid permeable three-dimensional electrodes in the form of porous mats, are reduced while enhancing evenness of electrolyte refreshing over the whole geometrical cell-area, by defining cooperatively interleaved flow channels in the porous mat electrode. Two interleaved orders of parallel flow channels are defined. All the parallel spaced channels of each order extend from a common orthogonal base channel formed along the respective inlet or outlet side of the electrolyte flow chamber, and terminate short of reaching the base channel of the other.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a sintered substrate of alkaline batteries is provided. The manufacturing method includes a first step for mixing particles with a pore former and applying the mixture to a porous substrate, and a second step for sintering the porous substrate and the applied mixture. The particles are made of nickel or principally made of nickel, and the surfaces of the pore former particles each have a coating made of nickel or principally made of nickel. The pore former can be made from resin or any other materials if it disappears when sintered. The pore former particles should preferably have a spheric shape, but is does not matter whether the pore former particles are solid or hollow. Using such sintered substrate for an electrode, an alkaline storage battery can exhibit a high performance.

Abstract: A nickel hydroxide electrode for an alkaline storage battery comprises titanium hydroxide formed on the surface of nickel hydroxide as a main active material impregnated into pores of a porous sintered substrate. An alkaline storage battery comprises a negative electrode and the nickel hydroxide electrode as a positive electrode. The alkaline storage battery provides a high discharge capacity even if the battery is charged under a high temperature atmosphere.

Abstract: A base for an electrode plate that has an excellent ability to retain an active material and can be manufactured at a low cost, a method for manufacturing the same, and an alkaline storage battery using the same are provided. The method includes (i) forming a slurry containing water, a powder containing nickel, and a hollow particle formed of an organic compound, (ii) applying the slurry to a support made of metal, thereby forming a sheet, and (iii) burning the sheet, thereby forming a porous layer joined to the support by a metallic bond.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery which includes a current collector and a thin film composed of active material that stores and releases lithium and deposited on the current collector, the electrode being characterized in that the current collector has irregularities on its surface and the thin film has spaces extending in a thickness direction of the thin film and configured to increase their width dimensions toward valleys of the irregularities on the current collector surface.

Abstract: A matted particulate electrode located between the current collector and a porous separator of a rechargeable lithium battery is described, which contains electro-active particles intermixed with pliable, solid, lithium ion conducting, polymer electrolyte filaments having adhesive surfaces. The electro-active particles and the optionally added electro-conductive carbon particles adhere to the tacky surface of the adhesively interlinking polymer electrolyte filaments. The matted particulate electrode is impregnated with an organic solution containing another lithium compound. In a second embodiment the porous separator is coated on at least one of its faces, with polymer electrolyte having an adhesive surface and made of the same polymer as the electrolyte filaments. The polymer electrolyte filaments in the matted layer may adhere to the coated surface of the separator.

Abstract: A workpiece, in which a lead is laid on top of a three-dimensional porous metal body, is placed between an ultrasonic horn and an anvil with a lead portion facing the ultrasonic horn. A support is raised so that the lead portion of the workpiece is pressed between the ultrasonic horn and the anvil. While being rotated around a central shaft with a motor, the ultrasonic horn vibrates at a frequency of 20 kHz in the shaft direction. Thus, the workpiece is advanced continuously, so that the lead is bonded ultrasonically to the three-dimensional porous metal body (i.e., metal-to-metal bonding is established). It is possible to provide a battery electrode that can be produced continuously at a lower running cost, reduce the faulty welding with a current collecting plate, and prevent short-circuits.

Abstract: A battery having a current collector constructed of carbon foam. The carbon foam includes a network of pores into which a chemically active material is disposed to create either a positive or negative plate for the battery. The carbon foam resists corrosion and exhibits a large amount of surface area. The invention includes a method for making the disclosed carbon foam current collector used in the battery.

Abstract: There is provided a battery and a negative electrode for the battery, which are capable of being simply produced by a smaller number of steps. The battery includes: a battery can (7); a negative electrode plate for battery (21), the negative electrode plate having a paste-like material which contains an active material and which is provided on the entire surface of a rectangular conductive porous substrate including edge portions (22a) extending along long sides of the substrate, the negative electrode plate being wound in a cylindrical shape to be inserted into the battery can; and a plate-shaped collector (28) having ribs (31) formed by raising part thereof, the ribs being resistance-welded to one of the edge portions of the conductive porous substrate while the paste-like material provided on the edge portions.

Abstract: A cadmium negative electrode is prepared having excellent cycle characteristics without impairing the production efficiency even in case the impurities incorporated during filling the active material should be removed by heat treatment. The method includes filling the nickel sintered substrate with an active material based on cadmium hydroxide to obtain an active material filled electrode plate; heating the active material filled electrode plate to change at least a part of the thus filled active material based on cadmium hydroxide into cadmium oxide; adding polyvinyl alcohol into the active material; and hydrating the active material filled electrode plate added with polyvinyl alcohol i.e., immersing the electrode plate in an alkaline solution to convert cadmium oxide into cadmium hydroxide.

Abstract: An oxygen enrichment system is provided. The system includes an electrochemical cell for generating oxygen from ambient air. The electrochemical cell extracts oxygen from ambient air based on hydroxide conduction. A mixer is provided in fluid communication with ambient air, and an outlet provides oxygen enriched air to a user or air-breathing apparatus. In further embodiments, a purification system is also included. The air enrichment system may be employed with suitable batteries to provide a portable air enrichment device.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including positive and negative electrodes capable of occluding and releasing lithium and a nonaqueous electrolyte and in which the negative electrode includes a foamed metal containing silicon as an active material therein.

Abstract: In one aspect a substrate such as a sheet metal product, in particular for use as a bipolar plate in a fuel cell or in an electrolyzer, is characterized in that it has, on at least one side, a conductive and corrosion-resistant protective coating of a metal oxide having a treatment which ensures the conductivity. The coating can be produced by introducing a piece of sheet metal into a coating plant and providing it with the conductive and corrosion-resistant protective coating of the metal oxide. In another aspect, an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell comprises an electrically conductive contact element having a first surface facing an electrode for conducting electrical current, and the contact element comprises an electrically conductive substrate and an electrically conductive coating comprising a doped metal oxide, desirably a doped tin oxide, and preferably a fluorine doped tin oxide.

Abstract: A battery that can achieve both of a large capacity and excellent charge/discharge cycle characteristics is provided. A negative electrode in a disk shape housed in an outer cup is stacked on a positive electrode in a disk shape housed in an outer can through a separator. The negative electrode is formed to include a porous body composed of a pure substance, an alloy, or a compound of a metallic element or a semimetallic element that can be alloyed with lithium, and having holes in a continuous solid body. Since the porous body is unlikely to break down in absorbing and desorbing lithium, excellent charge/discharge cycle characteristics can be provided.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery comprising an improved separator and having a high energy density and an excellent cycle life characteristic is disclosed. The alkaline storage battery in accordance with the present invention comprises a positive electrode including a nickel hydroxide material as an active material, a negative electrode, a separator and an electrolyte, wherein the nickel hydroxide material of the positive electrode contains at least Mn or is disposed with a coating of a cobalt oxide material on its surface and wherein the separator carries particles of a hydrophilic and insulating metal oxide directly attached to its surface. The metal oxide particle is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, potassium titanate, tungsten oxide, and zinc oxide. The most preferable one is anatase type TiO2.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery uses metal foil for a substrate of at least one of positive and negative electrodes. The electrode includes a strip-like conductive portion formed of a bared edge portion of the substrate at one end along the winding direction, to which a current collector is welded. A porous metal layer is formed at least on one side of the strip-like conductive portion so as to prevent buckling or breakage of the substrate, or separation of weld joints.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a lithium secondary cell, characterized in that it is prepared by a method comprising providing a conductive metal of foil having a surface roughness of 0.2 &mgr;m or more as a collector and a mixture of active material particles containing silicon and/or a silicon alloy with a conductive metal powder and sintering the mixture on the surface of the collector; and a lithium secondary cell comprising the negative electrode.

Abstract: A battery having a current collector constructed of carbon foam. The carbon foam includes a network of pores into which a chemically active paste is disposed to create either a positive or negative plate for the battery. The carbon foam resists corrosion and exhibits a large amount of surface area. The invention includes a method for making the disclosed carbon foam current collector used in the battery.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrode comprising a porous three-dimensional conductive support containing an electrochemically active material, said support having at least a first edge connected to a connection piece and at least a second edge substantially parallel to said first edge, and means for preventing said active material disposed along said second edge from moving. Said means is selected from: a piece having a U-shaped fold placed stride said second edge; a surface covering; and treatment to modify the texture of said support. The electrode is used as a positive electrode in a second electrochemical cell of the nickel metal hydride type.

Abstract: An apparatus including a body having dimensions suitable as an electrode component of an electrical storage device, the body having a fibrous form comprised of a moiety of the general formula:

Abstract: The present invention provides an alkaline storage battery excellent in both charge properties and discharge properties. A novel alkaline storage battery is provided comprising an active positive electrode material containing nickel hydroxide as a main component and an alkaline electrolyte containing at least Li+ and Na+, characterized in that the positive electrode contains Y and/or Y compound and the alkaline electrolyte has an Li+ content of from not lower than 0.1 to less than 1.0 N and an Na+ content of from 0.3 to 1.5 N.

Abstract: A fibrous-structure electrode plate has a metal thickness which increases continuously towards the current discharge lug and the resultant low-loss current carrying. To produce the fibrous-structure electrode framework plates according to the invention, textile substrate can be reinforced by electrodeposition. For the subsequent use of the textile substrate which has been reinforced by electrodeposition as an electrode framework of fibrous structure, a diaphragm system is introduced into the electrodeposition bath between each anode and the premetallized web of a textile substrate which is to be reinforced by electrodeposition. In this way, it is possible to distribute the metal applied to the substrate, specifically without previously cutting the web to size.

Abstract: An electrode substrate is formed by mechanically processing a nickel foil so as to be made three dimensional through the creation of concave and convex parts, and then, this substrate is filled with active material or the like so that an electrode is manufactured, wherein the above described concave and convex parts are rolling pressed so as to incline in one direction. Furthermore, an electrode for secondary battery is formed by using the above described electrode.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method of making metallic fibers and electrodes. The metallic fibers are manufactured by milling a stock piece of material, preferably with a computer number controlled (CNC) milling machine. According to one embodiment, the length of the fibers is determined by the width of the stock material and stock material may be stacked so as to produce a number of fibers. According to another embodiment, the cutting tool comprises chip breakers which determine the length of the fibers. Zinc fibers made according to the present invention may be used to manufacture battery electrodes by compressing the fibers into the desired shape and porosity.

Abstract: The invention relates to an essentially flat electrode of an electrochemical system, such as a battery or a capacitor. Said electrode is comprised of at least one conductive (3) and of a storage layer (4), which is connected to said conductive layer, has a lattice structure, is comprised of woven or knit plastic threads (5) that are rendered conductive, and in which electro-active material is embedded. The aim of the invention is to improve the volumetric and gravimetric energy density with an adequate mechanical stability and simplified production.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sintered nickel positive electrode plates for alkaline storage batteries with a high capacity density in which the working voltage during discharge is kept from dropping and the utilization of the positive electrode active material remains high even at high temperatures. The electrode comprises a porous sintered nickel substrate and metal hydroxides mainly composed of nickel hydroxide impregnated in the substrate, the metal hydroxides including: a first layer comprising a hydroxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of yttrium, ytterbium and lutetium, and being in contact with the substrate; a second layer comprising a mixture of nickel hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide, and covering the first layer; and a third layer comprising cobalt hydroxide and covering the second layer.

Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride storage battery which includes a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide, a negative electrode containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy and an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode contains a hydroxide and/or an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanoid and bismuth, and the negative electrode contains a hydroxide and/or an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanoid.

Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride storage battery comprising a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide, a negative electrode containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy and an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode contains a hydroxide and/or an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanoid and bismuth, and the negative electrode contains germanium.

Abstract: Provided is a current collector substrate in an electrode of an alkaline secondary battery, which is advantageous not only in that it has excellent holding ability for a mixture for electrode, but also in that the utilization of an active material is improved, thereby enhancing the discharge characteristics of the battery, and an electrode and an alkaline secondary battery using the same. This current collector substrate has a plurality of openings formed within the surface of a metal powder sinter sheet which has a thickness (t) of 80 &mgr;m or less and is produced by a powdery calendering process, wherein the openings have periphery portions comprising burr portions protruding in the opposite directions.

Abstract: A nickel hydroxide electrode for an alkaline storage battery comprises titanium hydroxide formed on the surface of nickel hydroxide as a main active material impregnated into pores of a porous sintered substrate. An alkaline storage battery comprises a negative electrode and the nickel hydroxide electrode as a positive electrode. The alkaline storage battery provides a high discharge capacity even if the battery is charged under a high temperature atmosphere.

Abstract: An energy storage device includes a first electrode comprising a first material and a second electrode comprising a second material, at least a portion of the first and second materials forming an interpenetrating network when dispersed in an electrolyte, the electrolyte, the first material and the second material are selected so that the first and second materials exert a repelling force on each other when combined. An electrochemical device, includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector; a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector; and an ionically conductive medium in ionic contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein at least a portion of the first and second electrodes form an interpenetrating network and wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises an electrode structure providing two or more pathways to its current collector.

Abstract: A hydrophilic collector for alkaline secondary batteries is formed of a nonwoven fabric plated with nickel in which the nonwoven fabric is hydrophilized by sulfonation, a gaseous fluorine treatment, or vinyl monomer grafting. A method for making the collector includes a hydrophilizing step of a nonwoven fabric comprising at least one of a polyolefin fiber and a polyamide fiber, and a plating step of applying nickel plating to the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric. Preferably, the nickel plating is electroless plating, and the nonwoven fabric has a plurality of micropores extending from one surface to the other surface thereof. An electroplating film may be deposited on the electroless plated film, if necessary. This collector facilitates assembling a battery which exhibits improved high-rate discharge characteristics due to improved adhesiveness of the plated nickel film to the nonwoven fabric.

Abstract: A multicell assembly for a redox flow electrolyzer is constituted by alternately stacking pre-assembled elements, typically an electrode subassembly including porous mat electrodes on opposite faces of a conductive plate and a permionic membrane subassembly. Pressure drops in circulating the electrolyte solutions through respective cell compartments, in contact with fluid permeable three-dimensional electrodes in the form of porous mats, are reduced while enhancing evenness of electrolyte refreshing over the whole geometrical cell-area, by defining cooperatively interleaved flow channels in the porous mat electrode. Two interleaved orders of parallel flow channels are defined. All the parallel spaced channels of each order extend from a common orthogonal base channel formed along the respective inlet or outlet side of the electrolyte flow chamber, and terminate short of reaching the base channel of the other.

Abstract: The invention provides a treatment for edge surfaces and faces of metallized fiber structure framework plates for use in electric accumulators. The edge surfaces and faces, except for the starting portion of the current tapping tab, are mechanically, thermally or chemically freed of projecting metallized fiber ends and fiber bundles in order to avoid short circuits or soft shorts caused by dendrites penetrating the cell separator or by metallized fiber ends. The mechanical, thermal or chemical treatments can take place individually or in combination with one another.

Abstract: A secondary cell having a long cycle lifetime and a superior charge and discharge performance is provided with an electrode having a collector having a metal matrix 301 having micropores 302 with an average diameter not larger than 3 microns. The micropores 302 is formed by utilizing reduction reaction of a metal.

Abstract: A nickel electrode for alkaline secondary battery including a porous sintered nickel substrate loaded with a nickel hydroxide-based active material, the nickel electrode has a configuration wherein a surface portion of the active material loaded into the sintered nickel substrate is provided with a combination of a first coating layer of a suitable compound and a second coating layer of a suitable compound, or a coating layer of a compound of two or more suitable elements, or wherein the coating layer of two or more suitable elements is formed between the sintered nickel substrate and the active material.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery comprising an electrode assembly housed in a vessel, said electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode plate obtained by filling an active material comprising nickel hydroxide as the principal component into a metallic porous body substrate having three-dimensionally continuous space, followed by pressing, and a negative electrode plate which are opposed to each other with a separator placed therebetween, wherein said positive electrode plate used has been prepared by filling the active material into a plurality of the substrates and then placing at least two of the resulting positive electrode plates one upon another and pressing them to give a single positive electrode plate.

Abstract: The fabrication of functional thin-film patterns, such as solid-state thin-film batteries on substrates having fibrous, or ribbon-like or strip-like geometry is disclosed. The present invention relates additionally to the design and manufacture of multiple-layer and multi-function thin films.

Abstract: A solid-state hydroxide (OH−) conductive membrane provides up to five times higher ionic conductivity and surface oxygen exchange rate than conventional MIEC membranes, while operating at significantly lower temperatures and providing reduced overall system cost. The hydroxide conductive membrane utilizes a porous ceramic backbone, pores of which are injected with an electrolyte. A catalyst is provided as discrete layers disposed at the anode and cathode. The membrane of the present invention may be utilized in combination with an external voltage source to drive the oxygen generating reaction. Alternatively, the pores may be metallized and a pressure gradient utilized to drive the reaction. The membrane thus provides discrete materials to provide ionic conduction, electronic conduction, and structural support.

Abstract: An electrical battery for multi-cellular interconnection in series, parallel or series and parallel has a protrusion and a recess, such as a tongue and a groove, extending on outer surfaces of the sidewalls of the battery case such that when a protrusion of one battery is slid into a recess of another, the two batteries are electrically connected by the portions of the protrusion and the recess that are made of electrically conductive materials connected to the voltage producing elements inside the case. The battery further includes hollow plug-in posts and plug-in pins at the top and the bottom of the case that are connected to the voltage producing elements of the battery so that when the plug-in pins of one battery are inserted into the plug-in posts of another, the two batteries are in electrical interconnection. The battery also includes an electrolyte recirculation, gas purging, and automatic watering systems.

Abstract: A battery electrode material composed of a composite material including fiber agglomerates having micro-pores and an electrode active material included within the micro-pores of the fiber agglomerates. The agglomerates are formed by tangled masses of vapor-grown carbon fibers having fiber contact points. Furthermore, at least a portion of the fiber contact points are chemically bonded fiber contact points. Also disclosed is a secondary battery including electrodes made from the battery electrode material.

Abstract: In a nickel-metal hydride storage battery comprising: an electrode plate assembly including current collectors on the top and bottom portions; an alkaline electrolyte; and a battery case having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped part for accommodating the electrode plate assembly and the alkaline electrolyte, the capacity degradation due to deep discharge and reverse charge inherent to a nickel-metal hydride storage battery is suppressed by setting the amount of the alkaline electrolyte at 70 to 90% of the volume V of the residual space in the battery represented by the equation (1): V=S·h−(V1+V2+V3+V4) (1), where S is the cross sectional area of the inner space of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped part, h is the height of the electrode plate assembly, V1 is the true volume of the positive electrode plate, V2 is the true volume of the negative electrode plate, V3 is the true volume of the separator, and V4 is the volume of the two current collectors.

Abstract: A base for an electrode plate that has an excellent ability to retain an active material and can be manufactured at a low cost, a method for manufacturing the same, and an alkaline storage battery using the same are provided. The method includes (i) forming a slurry containing water, a powder containing nickel, and a hollow particle formed of an organic compound, (ii) applying the slurry to a support made of metal, thereby forming a sheet, and (iii) burning the sheet, thereby forming a porous layer joined to the support by a metallic bond.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an anode material excellent in its charging and discharging characteristics and a secondary battery excellent in its charging and discharging cyclic characteristics. An anode active material is used for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including an anode having the anode active material, a cathode having a cathode active material and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The capacity of the anode is expressed by the sum of a capacity component obtained when light metal is doped and dedoped in an ionic state and a capacity component obtained when the light metal is deposited and dissolved. The light metal includes an anode base material capable of doping and dedoping the light metal in an ionic state and a fibrous material having an electric conductivity.

Abstract: A first lithium secondary battery of the present invention is formed by placing at least a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in a battery case in which a positive electrode connecting member to which the positive electrode is connected and a negative electrode connecting member to which the negative electrode is connected are electrically separated, wherein said positive electrode connecting member is composed of clad material comprising one of aluminum or aluminum alloy and one of austenitic stainless steel or ferrite stainless steel, and the aluminum or aluminum alloy in the clad material is in the positive electrode side.

Abstract: A pack-bonded, multiphase composite material is provided. The multiphase composite material has at least two layers of a matrix material pack-bonded with at least one layer of a reinforcement material. The reinforcement material is oriented in a pack-bonded direction such that the reinforcement material is uniformly dispersed between the matrix materials. Additionally, the matrix materials and the reinforcement material are chemically dissimilar. The matrix material is selected from the group consisting of lead and lead alloys, and the reinforcement material is a plurality of non-conductive, large length-to-diameter ratio, low-density fibers.

Abstract: A porous metal sheet, for use in a battery electrode substrate, composed of a two-layer structure consisting of a first and second foamed metal layers or a structure having three or more layers consisting of the first and second foamed metal layer, a mesh metal layer and the like sandwiched between said first and second layer. The number of cells of the first foamed metal layer is smaller than that of the second foamed metal layer. The electrode plate is spirally wound with the second foamed metal layer located at a peripheral side and with the first foamed metal layer located at an inner peripheral side.

Abstract: In a rectangular alkaline storage battery, the sides of negative cores of negative electrode plates 10, which are disposed at the outermost positions of the group of electrode plates and oppose an outer casing can 40, are exposed. The pore ratios (ratio of total area taken up by pores to area of electrode plate) of the exposed cores must be made lower than those of the other unexposed cores. The pore ratio of the exposed negative core is specified as falling within a range of 10% to 40%. As a result, the negative electrode plates 10 are improved in binding strength, thereby inhibiting exfoliation of an active material. Further, there can be obtained a large rectangular alkaline storage battery which has superior permeability for a gas which would arise in the battery, an improved capacity ratio, and greater volumetric energy density.