The Gillette Company

James Rozelle

Francis Wang

Kirakodu S Nanjundaswamy

David Lloyd Anglin

Cahit Eylem

J Simon Xue

Jiayu Simon Xue

Joseph Drennan

Enoch I Wang

Philip D Trainer

Terry Soon

Alexander Scheglov

Richard Burton

An alkaline cell having a flat housing, preferably of cuboid shape. The cell can have an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising MnO. The housing can have a relatively small overall thickness, typically between about 5 and 10 mm. Cell contents can be supplied through an open end in the housing and an end cap assembly inserted therein to seal the cell. There can be a gap between separator and cathode for insertion of additional electrolyte. The end cap assembly includes a vent mechanism, preferably a grooved vent, which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a threshold level typically between about 250 and 800 psig (1724&#xd7;10and 5515&#xd7;10pascal gage). The cell can have a supplemental vent mechanism such as a laser welded region on the surface of the housing which may activate at higher pressure levels.

Method of adding electrolyte to a gap between the cathode and separator of an alkaline cell

An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an aqueous alkaline electrolyte, a cathode mixture comprising cathode active material comprising copper oxide or copper hydroxide. Graphitic carbon, preferably expanded graphite or graphitic carbon nanofibers are added to the cathode mixture thereby resulting in a sharp drop in cathode resistivity. Addition of sulfur to cathode mixtures comprising copper hydroxide active material improves performance. The sharp drop in cathode resistivity resulting from the addition of expanded graphite or graphitic carbon nanofibers makes the cell suitable for use as a primary alkaline cell having good capacity. The graphitic carbon, preferably comprises preferably between about 3 and 10 percent by weight of the cathode. The carbon nanofibers have an average diameter desirably less than 500 nanometers, preferably between about 50 and 300 nanometers.

Alkaline cell with improved cathode including copper hydroxide and a sulfur additive

An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising silver copper oxide AgCuO , or Ag Cu O , desirably in admixture with MnO . The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphtic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers.

Alkaline cell with improved cathode

An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising silver copper oxide selected from the compounds AgCuO Ag Cu O or any mixture thereof. The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphitic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers.

An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc, an alkaline electrolyte solution, a separator, and a cathode comprising copper iodate. The cathode preferably also includes a graphitic carbon to improve electrical conductivity. The graphtic carbon can comprise natural or synthetic graphites including expanded graphites and graphitic carbon fibers. Preferably, the graphitic carbon comprises graphitic carbon nanofibers. The carbon nanofibers desirably have a mean average diameter less than 500 nanometers. The cathode can also include sulfur in admixture with the copper iodate to improve cell performance.

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Fairfield, CT, United States of America

James Rozelle