Duracell Inc.

Purush Chalilpoyil

Chih-Chung Wang

Frank E Parsen

Viet H Vu

Peter Bayard Harris

G Stephen Kelsey

John D Sillesky

Alex Kaplan

Jesse R Rea

Greg Brual

Ron Bing-Wo

Henry S Padula

George Cintra

Fred Kasianowicz

Philp D Trainer

An alkaline cell is disclosed having a cathode comprising manganese dioxide wherein the cathode is a semisolid during discharge of the cell. The cell has an anode comprising zinc and an electrolyte comprising potassium hydroxide. The semisolid cathode comprising manganese dioxide may be in the form of a putty or paste. The semisolid cathode reduces cathode polarization effects and results in increased manganese dioxide utilization (Amp-hr/g), particularly at high current drain, between about 0.5 and 2 Amp. The porosity of the cathode is between about 45% and 70%, and the volume ratio of electrolyte solution in the cathode to the solids in the cathode is at a value between about 0.7 and 2.3.

Alkaline cell with semisolid cathode

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

Corrosion is reduced in aqueous electrochemical cells having zinc anodes comprised of single crystal zinc particles by the addition of small amounts of a gas inhibiting surfactant, for example, an organic phosphate inhibitor such as RA600 from GAF Corp. to the cell. A synergistically lowered rate of corrosion and cell gassing is obtained even with reduction of mercury content.

Cell corrosion reduction

Corrosion is reduced in aqueous electrochemical cells having zinc anodes by utilizing mercury amalgamated discrete single crystal zinc particles to which small amounts of one or more of indium, thallium, gallium, bismuth, cadmium, tin and lead have been added or prealloyed with the zinc, prior to formation of the single crystal particles. A synergistically lowered rate of corrosion and cell gassing is obtained even with reduction of mercury content.

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Lincoln, MA, United States of America

Purush Chalilpoyil