Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.

Basf Corporation

Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems, LLC

Univerticalcorporation

Cristian Fierro

Michael A Fetcenko

Stanford R Ovshinsky

Srinivasan Venkatesan

Rosa T Young

Avram Zallen

Kwo Young

Beth Sommers

Dennis A Corrigan

John M Koch

Craig Harrison

Tim Hicks

Benjamin Reichman

Franklin J Martin

Gabriel E Benet

William C Mays

James L Strebe

Charles T Walker

Peter H Benson

Liwei Xu

Paul R Gifford

Peter Benson

An alkaline, rechargeable electrochemical cell includes a pasted electrode structure in which a composition comprising a paste matrix component includes cobalt in an amount greater than 6 weight percent ranging up to 14 weight percent. The matrix may also include a rare earth such as yttrium. The composition further includes particles of nickel hydroxide dispersed in the matrix, and these particles include cobalt levels ranging from greater than 8 atomic percent up to 15 atomic percent. Cells incorporating these materials have good charging efficiency at elevated temperatures.

Rechargeable battery cell with improved high temperature performance

A method for converting nickel into a nickel salt solution. Nickel is dissolved and reacted in an oxygen-enriched acidic solution to produce a nickel salt solution as illustrated in the following chemical equation, wherein X is a conjugate base:Ni+HX+&#xbd;O-&#x3e;NiX+HO.

Method of producing a nickel salt solution

A hydrogen storage battery with improved cycle life and a method for making the same. The battery has a negative electrode with an electrochemically active negative material and a negative electrode capacity and a positive electrode electrochemically coupled with the negative electrode, the positive electrode having a positive electrode capacity and an electrochemically active positive material with a precharge. Also described herein is a positive electrode material for a hydrogen storage battery and a method for making the same. The positive electrode material includes a preoxidized positive active material which is partially non-oxidized. The preoxidized positive material may be used to provide precharge to the positive electrode of a hydrogen storage battery to aid in cell balancing.

Hydrogen storage battery; positive nickel electrode; positive electrode active material and methods for making

A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a process for making nickel sulfate by converting nickel metal into nickel sulfate, which may be converted to nickel hydroxide. Nickel metal is dissolved in sulfuric acid and oxygen containing gas is introduced to produce a nickel sulfate solution having nickel sulfate and water as illustrated in the following chemical equation.Ni+HSO+&#xbd;O&#x2192;NiSO+HOThe nickel sulfate is filtered and sulfuric acid is continually added to maintain stoichiometry within a reactor until the nickel metal is dissolved. The sulfuric acid, oxygen containing gas and nickel metal may be heated to facilitate the desired reaction. Then, the nickel sulfate may be utilized to produce nickel hydroxide.

Process for converting nickel to nickel sulfate

Nickel hydroxide material comprising particles with a microstructure including crystallites of less than 103 &#x212b; as measured in the 101 direction by x-ray diffraction. A method of making positive electrode material for use in an alkaline rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising forming a metal ion solution and increasing the pH to precipitate positive electrode material with a crystallite structure of 120 &#x212b; or less in the 101 direction.

Nickel Hydroxide electrode material with improved microstructure and method for making the same

The present invention relates to rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries and methods for making the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries having a precharge in the negative electrode sufficient for oxidation prevention in the negative electrode. The present invention discloses a nickel metal hydride battery, wherein the precharge of the negative electrode may be supplied by a variety of sources. The positive active material of the positive electrode may have positive active particles, such as nickel hydroxide, having a precursor coating that incorporates cobalt material capable of forming a conductive network. Sources other than cobalt-containing materials in the positive electrode include hydrogen gas provided directly to the negative active material, nickel aluminum mixed with the negative active material, the etching of the negative active material with an alkaline solution and borohydride chemically charging the negative active material. Preferably, a majority of the precharge of the negative electrode is supplied by sources other than cobalt-containing materials in the positive electrode.

Nickel metal hydride battery design

A catalyst having catalytically active material supported on a carrier matrix. The catalytically active material may be a mixed-valence, nanoclustered oxide(s), an organometallic material or a combination thereof. The supported catalytic material is particularly useful for catalyzing oxygen reduction in a fuel cell, such as an alkaline fuel cell.

Catalyst for fuel cell oxygen electrodes

Hydrogen storage battery and methods for making

High capacity, long cycle life positive electrode modified nickel hydroxide material for use in an alkaline rechargeable electrochemical cell at least one modifier and has modified activation energy, chemical potential and electrical conductivity. Particle size, particle size distribution, electrical conductivity have been controlled by introducing modifier elements throughout the bulk of the active material and by controlling process parameters.

Nickel hydroxide positive electrode material exhibiting improved conductivity and engineered activation energy

A process for making a positive battery electrode material using a secondary metal. The secondary metal is preferably treated using an non-electrolytic process and formed into an active, positive battery electrode material by a precipitation reaction.

Method of making a nickel hydroxide material

A process for making a nickel hydroxide material without the necessity of a preamine reactor. The process includes the steps of providing a metal and forming the metal into an active positive electrode material. The process for making a nickel hydroxide material may also include one or more blending steps. The step for forming may include concurrently combining the metal with ammonium ions and hydroxide ions. The step for forming may also include a continuously stirred precipitation reaction of metal ions. In a preferred aspect of the process hereof, the metal may be a secondary nickel source, such as a spent or virgin electrolyte solution from a nickel electrorefining process, nickel electroless plating process or nickel electroplating process.

A nickel hydroxide particle having a first active nickel hydroxide material and a second active nickel hydroxide material disposed about the first material, wherein the second active nickel hydroxide material has a mass at least 10% of the total particle mass. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the first active material and the second active material have a compositional difference of 1 to 25.

Nickel hydroxide electrode material and method for making the same

A high capacity long cycle life positive electrode which includes an electronically conductive substrate for conducting electricity through the electrode and an electrochemically active nickel hydroxide material in electrical contact with the electronically conductive substrate, the electrochemically active nickel hydroxide material is composed of at least two different solid solution nickel hydroxide materials each having differing compositions. The positioning of the at least two different solid solution nickel hydroxide materials and their relative compositions alter the local redox potential or porosity to force discharge of the electrode in a stepwise fashion from the nickel hydroxide material remote from said conductive network or substrate, through any intermediate nickel hydroxide materials, to the nickel hydroxide material adjacent the conductive network or substrate.

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Cristian Fierro