Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.

Takeaki Yamaguchi

Kazuya Ohtani

Takashi Sumiya

Youji Fujiura

Kazuya c/o Sanyo Chemical Industries Ltd Ohtani

A thickener for use in an alkaline battery provides a gel viscosity ratio (N1h/N12h) of 0.7 to 1.3, the gel viscosity ratio (N1h/N12h) being a ratio of a viscosity (N1h) of a gel after being left to stand for one hour to a viscosity (N12h) of the gel after being left to stand for twelve hours (where the gel viscosity is a viscosity of a gel composed of 2.0 parts by weight of the thickener, 200 parts by weight of zinc powder, and 100 parts by weight of 37 wt % aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, measured at 40&#xb0; C. according to JIS K7117-1: 1999). An alkaline battery having a negative electrode gel in which the thickener of the present invention is used is provided. The alkaline battery exhibits improved long-term retention of discharge characteristics (discharge amount and discharge time), and improved impact resistance.

Thickener for alkaline battery and alkaline battery

A gelling agent for use in an alkaline battery comprises a cross-linked polymer (A) formed with a (meth)acrylic acid (salt) as a principal constituent monomer unit, wherein the gelling agent allows an obtained gel (GA) to have a viscosity ratio (N1/N60), determined as follows, of 0.7 to 1.3, and includes components soluble in 37 wt % aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide that account for 30 wt % or less of the gelling agent: the viscosity ratio (N1/N60) of the gel (GA) is determined by preparing the gel (GA) by stirring 100 parts by weight of 37 wt % aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, 2 parts by weight of the cross-linked polymer (A), and 200 parts by weight of zinc powder at 40&#xb0; C. so as to be mixed uniformly, and measuring a viscosity (40&#xb0; C., N1) of the gel (GA) after being left to stand at the same temperature for one day, and a viscosity (40&#xb0; C., N60) of the gel (GA) after being left to stand at the same temperature for sixty days, according to JIS K7117-1: 1999. The foregoing gelling agent and an alkaline battery using the gelling agent exhibit excellent impact resistance and excellent long-term retention of discharge characteristics.

Gelling agent for alkaline battery and alkaline battery

A non-aqueous absorbent comprising a crosslinked polymer which contains a structural unit having a carboxyl group and/or a sulfonate group in an amount of 20 to 100% weight in its molecule and in which from 30 to 100% by mol of the protons in the carboxyl group and/or the sulfonate group have been substituted by onium cations; a non-aqueous gel made of this non-aqueous absorbent and an organic solvent; and a non-aqueous absorbent sheet and a non-aqueous absorbent agent containing the non-aqueous absorbent. Because of having excellent capabilities of absorbing and holding various organic solvents such as alcohols and gelating, these materials are usable for various purposes, for example, lithium batteries, alcohol-based bactericidal materials or alcohol-based bactericides, cold insulating materials or cold insulators, gel sheets for cooling, fuel compositions for solid fuels or solid fuels using the same, fragrance materials or fragrances, patch materials or patches, insecticidal compositions or insecticides, fuel stores for fuel batteries or fuel batteries using the same.

Non-aqueous absorbent and use thereof

A gelatinizer for alkaline batteries, which comprises crosslinked polymer particles comprising, as one or more main constituting monomer units, (meth) acrylic acid and/or an alkali metal salt thereof having an average particle size of 0.1 to 2,000 &#x3bc;m, and a super fine particle form metal oxide having an average particle size of 0.1 to 100 nm; and an alkaline battery using the gelatinizer. The impact resistance of the battery, the discharge characteristic thereof, the lifespan thereof, and others are very good. The present invention can make the time for producing alkaline batteries short, and is useful for producing batteries containing none of materials harmful to the human body, such as benzene.

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Kyoto, Japan

Takeaki Yamaguchi