The Gillette Company

Duracell Inc.

Gte Government Systems Corporation

Other

Whittaker Technical Products, Inc.

Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc.

Peter Bayard Harris

Lifun Lin

Richard Edward Durkot

Franz Goebel

Barbara E Brys

William T McHugh

Douglas J Woodnorth

David C Batson

Gerard H Boyle

Peter F Morello

Purush Chalilpoyil

Robert C McDonald

David V Adamson

Roger K Freeman

Ronald E Barth

Michael J Zuraw

Henry S Padula

Fred Kasianowicz

Gregory A Fariss

Jerry Lewis

Joseph Barry, Jr

James Bennett

Kathy M Lechiaro

Greg Brual

Martin Howard

Ron Bing-Wo

A centrifugal impact atomization process for producing zinc or zinc alloy powder from molten zinc. A stream of molten zinc is injected onto the surface of a spinning disk contained within an atomization chamber. The disk has a cup shaped cavity having an open end, opposing closed end and integral side walls. The disk may have baffles protruding into the open cavity core within the disk. The baffles may have straight or curved side surfaces. The disk is rotated at high speeds between about 10,000 and 15,000 rpm (revolutions per minute). The oxygen content in the chamber is preferably between about 1 and 6 vol %. Zinc powder is produced having more smaller size particles. Zinc alkaline cells utilizing such zinc product as anode active material show improved performance, especially as power source in high discharge services such as digital cameras.

Centrifugal atomization for producing zinc powder

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.

Electrode having modal distribution of zinc-based particles

A cathode that includes manganese dioxide and relatively small particles of nonsynthetic, nonexpanded graphite is disclosed. The graphite particles can have an average particle size of less than 20 microns. The cathode can be used in an electrochemical cell, such as a battery.

Battery cathode

Electrode having multi-modal distribution of zinc-based particles

A primary electrochemical cell with an anode comprising zinc-based particles suspended in a fluid medium is disclosed. The zinc-based particles include at least about 1 percent, by weight, of fines (particles of &minus;200 mesh size) or dust (particles of &minus;325 mesh size). The zinc-based particles can have a relatively small average particle size. The zinc-based particles can be alloyed with, for example, indium and/or bismuth and be of spherical, acicular or flake shape. The anode can have a low resistivity at low zinc loadings, and the cell can demonstrate good mechanical stability and overall performance.

Zinc-based electrode particle form

A battery, such as an alkaline battery, that can provide a high energy output at a high rate and that has a relatively high ratio of manganese dioxide to cathode volume is disclosed. The battery can provide high energy output at a high rate when the battery is intermittently subjected to a high energy load.

High performance battery

A primary electrochemical cell with an anode comprising zinc alloy particles suspended in a fluid medium is disclosed. The zinc alloy particles include at least about 10 percent, by weight, of fines (particles of &minus;200 mesh size) or dust (particles of &minus;325 mesh size). The zinc particles are preferably alloyed with indium or bismuth and of acicular or flake form. The anode has a low resistivity at low zinc loadings, and the cell demonstrates good mechanical stability and overall performance.

Zinc electrode particle form

The performance of alkaline cells comprising a zinc anode and manganese dioxide cathode can be improved, especially in high power application, by the addition of electrically conductive powders such as tin, copper, silver, magnesium, indium or bismuth to the anode mixture. The conductive powders are in physical mixture with the zinc particles. A preferred electrically conductive powder is tin powder. The alkaline cell to which the conductive powders are added preferably contain no added mercury and preferably are also essentially free of lead.

Alkaline cell with improved anode

The invention relates to a method for inhibiting the occurrence of load voltage instability in zinc anodic alkaline cells. The anode active material contains a gelled slurry of zinc alloy particles, a gelling agent, an aqueous alkaline solution and a mixed surfactant containing an anionic surfactant and a non-ionic surfactant. The gelled anode active material inhibits the occurrence of load voltage instability and simultaneously reduces hydrogen evolution even though the cell contains no added amounts of mercury.

Additives for electrochemical cells having zinc anodes

An electrochemical cell electrode such as the cathode element for a high energy density battery cell and its fabrication sequence are disclosed. Material such as finely-divided carbon particles is dispersed over the electrode surface during an ultrasonic energy assisted wet spraying process which produces very thin electrodes that are also low in fabrication cost and increased in uniformity and energy density capability. Fine particle material deposition on both a metal foil electrode and on an insulating member that is later joined to a metal foil electrode are contemplated.

Small particle thin electrochemical electrode and method

An electrochemical cell of the liquid cathode type has an anode made of non-solution alloy of lithium and a companion metal of manganese, silicon, molybdenum, or tungsten.

Electrochemical cell having non-solution lithium alloys

A liquid electrolyte solution is added to porous components of an electrochemical cell prior to assembly. The electrolyte solution is frozen and all the components are assembled into a sealed cell. The electrolyte solution is then allowed to melt.

Method of adding electrolyte to electrochemical cells

A press is arranged to compress a workpiece between two turntables. One of the turntables is adapted to be rotated which, in turn, rotates the workpiece and the other turntable, a heating element is provided to seal seams on the workpiece.

Apparatus for assembling electrochemical batteries and similar articles

A electrochemical cell has a generally cylindrical battery stack comprised of disc-shaped components including atlernating first polarity electrodes and second polarity electrodes. Pairs of first polarity electrodes are coupled by ring-shaped couling members. The coupling members include radial channels such as grooves which allow the passage of a liquid cell component from a central well into the battery stack.

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Stow, MA, United States of America

Peter Bayard Harris