Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Electrode
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-04
2002-12-10
Ryan, Patrick (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...
Electrode
C429S218100, C429S231300, C429S206000, C429S229000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06492062
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to batteries.
BACKGROUND
Batteries, such as primary alkaline batteries, are commonly used as energy sources. Generally, alkaline batteries include a cathode, an anode, a separator, and an electrolytic solution. The cathode can include an active material, such as manganese dioxide or nickel oxide, carbon particles that enhance the conductivity of the cathode, and a binder. The anode may be, for example, a gel including zinc particles as the active material. The separator is disposed between the cathode and the anode. The electrolytic solution can be, for example, a hydroxide solution that is dispersed throughout the battery.
Desirable primary alkaline batteries have a high energy density and low capacity loss upon storage. Capacity retention upon storage can be important in primary battery systems where, unlike secondary battery systems, capacity cannot be recovered through recharging. Primary batteries having nickel oxide cathodes and amalgamated zinc anodes have high energy densities, but can lose significant amounts of capacity upon storage at 60° C. Self-discharge, either by hydrogen reduction or oxygen evolution from the nickel oxide cathode can result in loss of discharge capacity and formation of non-conductive regions.
SUMMARY
The invention features a primary alkaline battery including a nickel oxyhydroxide cathode. The battery preferably has a capacity loss after storage for 2 weeks at 60° C. of less than 40 percent. The cathode can include a cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified nickel oxyhydroxide or non-fractured nickel oxyhydroxide, which can improve the capacity loss proper ties of the battery.
Cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified nickel oxyhydroxide is a nickel oxyhydroxide having cobalt oxyhydroxide on a portion of the surface of the nickel oxyhydroxide. For example, the cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified nickel oxyhydroxide can be nickel oxyhydroxide having a coating of cobalt oxyhydroxide on a nickel oxyhydroxide. The coating can be substantially uniform, meaning that the coating covers at least 60% of the surface of the nickel material.
The nickel oxyhydroxide can be substantially non-fractured. Non-fractured nickel oxyhydroxide is nickel oxyhydroxide that is formed from nickel hydroxide by oxidation and inter-layer spacing contraction or no change in inter-layer spacing. For example, when &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
is used as the precursor the degree of fracturing can be significantly reduced because &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
has an inter-layer spacing of about 8 Å, which contracts upon formation of &ggr;-NiOOH to about 7 Å. Alpha nickel hydroxide, &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
, is a class of nickel hydroxide materials that has the general formula:
(Ni
1−n
A
n
)(OH)
2
X
n/m
·(H
2
O)
z
where A is Al, Co, Fe, Mn, or other trivalent metal ion, or a mixture thereof,
X is an anion having charge of -m, m being 1 or 2,
n is between zero and 0.8, inclusive, and
z is between 0 and 0.3, inclusive. X can be a halide, carbonate, carboxylate, sulfate, sulfite, phosphate, or phosphite. Preferably, A is Al, Co, Fe, or Mn, or a mixture thereof, X is CO
3
2−
(m=2), NO
3
−
(m=1), Cl
−
(m=1), or SO
4
2−
(m=2) and n is between zero and 0.3.
In one aspect, the invention features a primary alkaline battery including a cathode, an anode, a separator, and an alkaline electrolyte. The cathode can include a cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified nickel oxyhydroxide or a nickel oxyhydroxide derived from &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
. The nickel oxyhydroxide can be &ggr;-NiOOH. The nickel oxyhydroxide can be substantially non-fractured.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of manufacturing an alkaline battery. The method includes assembling a cathode, an anode, a separator, and an alkaline electrolyte to form the alkaline battery. The method can include forming a cathode including the nickel oxyhydroxide. The method can also include forming a cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified nickel oxyhydroxide or non-fractured nickel oxyhydroxide. Forming the nickel oxyhydroxide can include converting &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
to nickel oxyhydroxide, for example, by exposing nickel hydroxide to ozone.
In yet another aspect, the invention features a method of decreasing capacity loss in a nickel oxyhydroxide primary alkaline battery. The method includes forming a cathode including a nickel oxyhydroxide, and assembling the cathode, an anode, a separator, and an alkaline electrolyte to form the alkaline battery. The method can include converting &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
to the nickel oxyhydroxide or converting cobalt hydroxide-coated &agr;-Ni(OH)
2
to the nickel oxyhydroxide.
In another aspect, the invention features a cathode for a primary battery including non-fractured nickel oxyhydroxide or a cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified nickel oxyhydroxide.
The anode can include zinc.
In preferred embodiments, the cathode further includes an oxidizing additive. Reduction reactions at the surface or in the bulk of the nickel oxyhydroxide particles, which can lead to decreased storage capacities, can be partially eliminated or prevented by including oxidizing additives in the cathode. Electrochemically active additives are preferred to reduce oxygen evolution by raising the overpotential to avoid losses in capacity that can result from the use of electrochemically inactive additives.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3899350 (1975-08-01), Jackovitz et al.
patent: 3911094 (1975-10-01), Megahed et al.
patent: 4074030 (1978-02-01), Ruben
patent: 4224392 (1980-09-01), Oswin
patent: 4605604 (1986-08-01), Pollack et al.
patent: 4663256 (1987-05-01), Corrigan
patent: 4844948 (1989-07-01), Nakahori et al.
patent: 5336276 (1994-08-01), Pensabene et al.
patent: 5348822 (1994-09-01), Ovshinsky et al.
patent: 5453336 (1995-09-01), Adler et al.
patent: 5494763 (1996-02-01), Behl et al.
patent: 5508121 (1996-04-01), Sawa
patent: 5514497 (1996-05-01), Furukawa
patent: 5523182 (1996-06-01), Ovshinsky et al.
patent: 5567549 (1996-10-01), Ovshinksy et al.
patent: 5569562 (1996-10-01), Glemser et al.
patent: 5620813 (1997-04-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5691086 (1997-11-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5744259 (1998-04-01), Ohta et al.
patent: 5744266 (1998-04-01), Junome et al.
patent: 5759718 (1998-06-01), Yao et al.
patent: 5928714 (1999-07-01), Nunome et al.
patent: 5958621 (1999-09-01), Kao
patent: 6007946 (1999-12-01), Yano et al.
patent: 6013390 (2000-01-01), Kimiya et al.
patent: 6020088 (2000-02-01), Singh
patent: 6083642 (2000-07-01), Kato et al.
patent: 6114063 (2000-09-01), Katsumoto et al.
patent: 6193871 (2001-02-01), Coates et al.
patent: 6251538 (2001-06-01), Seyama et al.
patent: 0337029 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 0 337 029 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 0 800 222 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 1124299 (1968-08-01), None
patent: 48-2384 (1973-01-01), None
patent: 56-145668 (1981-11-01), None
patent: 60143569 (1985-06-01), None
patent: 61-158667 (1986-06-01), None
patent: 6318751 (1988-08-01), None
patent: 01059766 (1989-03-01), None
patent: 03055758 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 04366553 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 339995 (1972-06-01), None
patent: 00/21151 (2000-04-01), None
M. Butel et al., Cobalt oxyhydroxides obtained by ‘chimie douce’ reactions: structure and electronic conductivity properties, 1999, Solid State Ionics, 122:271-284.*
“Sealed Nickel-Zinc Cells Using Stable Nicklec oxyhydroxide Depolarizer,” S. A. Megahed et al., Proceedings of the Symposium on Battery Design and Optimization,The Electrochemical Society, Inc., S. Gross, Ed., 79-1:259-282 (1979).
“Cobalt oxyhydroxides obtained by ‘chimie douce’ reactions: structure and electronic conductivity properties,” M. Butel et al.,Solid State Ionics, 122:271-284 (1999).
“Oxidation mechanism of cobalt hydroxide to cobalt oxyhydroxide,” V. Pralong et al.,J. Mater. Chem.9:955-960 (1999).
Trainer Philip
Wang Enoch
Wang Francis
Wei Guang
Martin Angela J.
Ryan Patrick
LandOfFree
Primary alkaline battery including nickel oxyhydroxide does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Primary alkaline battery including nickel oxyhydroxide, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Primary alkaline battery including nickel oxyhydroxide will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2980269