An electrolyte suitable for battery use comprising an ionically conductive material having a polymeric chain with radicals regularly disposed along the chain. Each radical contains at least one atom capable of forming a hydrogen bond and at least one hydrogen atom capable of entering into a hydrogen bond. The radicals are of such length and geometrical configuration as to permit each radical to form at least one hydrogen bond with an adjacent radical.    The polymer is suitably a polyacrylic acid reacted with an amine such as urea, ethylene diamine, urea and acetamide, opt. with the amino group quaternised with manganous sulphate.
Process for the high speed manufacture of continuous strips of ribbed, sintered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) battery separators. Processing includes PVC particle moisture control, fluidization of particle stream, deaeration of particle stream by successive baffling, maintenance of kinetic mound of particles behind a contouring comb, contouring of the particles, preheating particles to sub-sintering temperatures and rapid sintering of the particle. PVC particles are 3 - 60 mu in size and water content is held at 0.1 - 0.3% wt. After deaerating bulk density is 27 - 36 lb./ft3 and sintering is effected &lt;0.4 min at 415 degrees F after preheating &lt;0.5 min at 375 degrees F.
The method comprises spreading catalyst powder or a mixture of catalyst powder and conductive powder onto the porous water-repelling metallic member, to disperse the catalyst powder and/or the mixture powder in a solvent such as alcohol and the like, and pressing the spread.
Prodn. comprises coating a pasty mixture of charcoal powder having a catalyst and a synthetic resin binding agent on both sides of the porous water-repelling sintered metallic plate; covering two sheets of flexible metallic net on the coated sides, and pressing the coated plate.
The cell has a cathode of sodium/potassium alloy, bromine as anode and provides a high voltage and capacity whilst operating at normal temps.
A dry element cell is manufactured by inserting a mixture of fusible and fibrous insulating materials in the bottom of a zinc can acting as cathode. fusing the mixture to form an insulating film and inserting into it an anode composition.
A dry cell has a layer of polyacrylamide in place of the starch layer. The polymer is obtained by polymerising acrylamide monomers by heat under a reduced press.
A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) layer is formed on the starch layer which is on the inside surface of the zinc can. The PVA layer is swollen by the liquid electrolyte and prevents starch material diffusing into the anode material during storage and discharge.
A mixture of water-soluble starch and fusible synth. resin is applied to the inner surface of a zinc can (cathode) to form the starch layer (I), and a zinc alginate layer is formed on the surface of (I).    Starch layer is strong and consequently may be quite thin, thus leaving room for more anode material.
A separating paper, having a first coating of starch and a second coating, applied over the first, of a water soluble or water swelling resin, is applied to the inside surface of a zinc can (cathode) and fixed by pressing it to the can with a heated roller. An anode compsn. is then inserted into the can. Dry cells may be mass-produced at low cost.
Polymerisable monomer(s) which have an unsatd. bond e.g. acrylamide, acrylonitrile, methacrylic acid or methyl methacrylate, are polymerised, with the aid of a catalyst, in a zinc can (cathode) to form a separating layer between zinc can and anode compsn. Cells have good separating effect with little internal resistance.
An open cellular structural foam is associated with a current collector. An electrocatalytically active mass which can be a mixture of an electronically conductive composition and a binder is spread into the foam. The mass is dried, heat treated, and sintered after which the foam is leached. A hydrophobic polymer coating may be applied to one major surface of the electrode.
The cell comprises a pair of flat planar air cathodes; the anode is Cd contng. 0.1-30 wt.% Fe2O3 or TiO2, placed between the cathodes; the electrolyte is contained in an adjacent reservoir and contains 10-50 wt.% KOH with an addn. of Ba(OH)2 and Ca(OH)2 sufficient to remove carbonate ions. The electrodes are sepd. by spaced absorbent materials, themselves sepd. by non-oxidisable membrane; the materials are fed from the reservoir by a wicking action.
At least one of the electrodes of an electric cell includes a solid body comprising a polymeric organic semi conductor in contact with the electrolyte and a metallic conductor interposed between them. Pref. both electrodes comprises a macromolecular organic semi-conductor and the semiconductor is an oxidn. prod. of a mono- or poly-nuclear aromatic amine opt. substd. at a N-atom or on an aromatic nucleus. These cells are cheap to produce and may be used in new techniques where conventional batteries are unsuitable.
The cell comprises an amalgamated Zn anode and a cathode formed by coating a slurry of a mixture of solid KMnO4 as depolariser, carbon and a soln. of an organic polymer in an organic solvent onto a sheet of metal inert to depolariser and aqs. HCl acid as electrolyte. Pref. the organic polymer soln. contains ethyl cellulose or PUA.
Method of making a cell comprises using a cell case in which a synthetic resin foam spacing and insulating a cell case portion and the under edge portion of a generating element is formed by pouring and heating the mixed solution of a synthetic resin durable in electrolyte and a blowing agent making the synthetic resin foam in a cell case.
A carbon electrode for dry cells is made by filling either high polymer contg. hydroxyl gps. and capable of swelling by absorbing water, or a mixture contng. the high polymer in the pores of the carbon electrode.
The electrodes of the porous carbon type contg. a dispersed catalyst and opt. a hydrophobic agent are prepd. by impregnating a carbonisable support (I) with a catalyst forming soln. or suspension (II), drying and carbonising under pressure. Pref. (I) is formed of several layers each layer being formed of several paper etc. sheets. Metal foils or meshes e.g., of Ni-Ag are interposed between some of the layers and the concn. of hydrophobic agent varies between layers. (II) consists of a carbon particle/PTFE emulsion suspension, silver nitrate or chloroplatinic acid. soln. In all cases drying of (II) is at 60 degrees C and thermal treatment at 380 degrees C at 5-20 kg./cm2.
Insulator for a battery plate comprises a layer of insulating porous resilient padding, inert to the electrolte, e.g. of glass or polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyester fibres, retaining the active material in place on the plate with an insulating porous shroud e.g. of polypropylene or polyethylene, heat shrunk over the padding and plate to hold the padding layer compressed against the active material.
Electrode comprises a first layer of a porous metal plate (not water repellant treated) a second layer of a mixture comprising carbon powder and synthetic resin, the carbon powder containing catalyst, a third layer of a porous metal plate (not water repellent treated) and a fourth layer of a mixture comprising active carbon and synthetic resin. Each layer is shaped by pressing.
Method comprises preparting a sintered porous metal body with fluoropolyethylene or water suspension or suspension in organic solvent, the water suspension comprising tetrafluoroethylene and copolymer of hexofluoropropylene; impregnating the pores of the metal body with compound solution before fluoroethylene resin hardens, the compound containing a metal as catalyst. After the metal is deposited in the pores, the body is heat treated at a temp. above the transition point of the fluoethylene resin in order to cure it.
Method comprises: attaching fluoroethylene resin powder to gas surface of an electrode consisting of a sintered plate, the plate essentially comprising metal powder, and compressing the fluoroethylene resin powder.
Cell is produced by mixing a unsatd. monomer capable of polymerization in an anode mixture, polymerizing and making gelating the monomer using persulfate and thiosulfate as catalyst.
Short fibres are charged into a fusible synthetic resin insoluble and chemically stable in water, together with electrolte, followed by heating and grinding it into pieces, and then mixing it with a paste powder and sticking the mixed material on the inner wall surface of the cathode zinc can by heating.
Battery anode consists of an active substance carried on a porous sintered support filling a porous sleeve. Cathode consists of a piece of fibrous material carrying an active substance powder or a mixture of the active powder and an electrically conductive powder, with a separator between the anode and cathode. Spec, the fibrous material is alkaline resistant, e.g. acrylic, polyamide or similar fibre, or plup treated against alkalis.
Electrode having a grid-shaped foam-like metal structure of electrolytically deposited material, with interconnected cells. It has an active surface layer, which may be the electrolytically deposited metal or may have been generated from this, be introduced into the cell cavities as a paste.
Plastic, rubber or cellulose separators are reinforced with chopped plastic fibre coated with non condensed lignine sulphonate to aid ionic circulation. This coating is resistant both to the electrolyte and to nascent oxygen. The proportion of fibres to the other material, e.g. PVC powder is between 0.5 and 5 wt.%.
Accumulator in which the plate elements are connected, across the separators, by mounting or inserting bridge connectors in the form of flat plates in the cavities between the separators. The bridges are coated by casting or injection, or by filling the cavities with injected synthetic material. The top surfaces of the separators, between the elements, comprise at least partially a thickened cushion or spacer.    The presence of the cushion prevents damage to the plates by distortion during assembly of the battery.    The separators (6) are pref. 1.5-2.5 mm thick, with the plates (3) connected by the bridge (4). The cushion (8) is 3-5 mm thick, pref. 4 mm with a guard (9) made of synthetic material.
The joint between a battery terminal connector and a battery terminal post is protected by a resilient non-corrosive cover. This cover is shaped to correspond to the outline of the joint and one of its walls has a Y-shaped slot extending from a lower edge. Preferably the cover is of polyethylene.    The cover is easy to affix or remove by also because of its resilience it is unlikely to fall off during use.    The cable to which the connector is attached slices up the stem of the Y-shaped slot and is received in the aperture formed by the two arms of the slot. The resilient finger formed between the arms bends outwardly away from the interior of the cover so that it lies along the top of the cable. This causes the protective cover to tip forward and engage the upper surface of the battery in sealing engagement.
In the manufacture of a sealed battery, a plastic can containing the electrode materials is sealed by a plastic top spin welded to the can, the top containing an electrode terminal which maintains contact with electrode current collector within the can during the welding.    In the case of a viscous negative electrode material, a coiled spring resting against the bottom of the separator can is used as the current collector and presses and rotates against a plate in the top making electric contact with the external electrode terminal. In the case of a non-viscous negative electrode material the current collector is fixed to the top and spins therewith in the material during the welding. The top is provided with a shouldered rim so that it partly lies within the can and partly on top, welds being made at both areas. Spinning speeds of 2000 to 6000 r.p.m. may be used.    The plastic may be polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, a styrene polymer such as ABS or a vinyl polymer such as polyvinyl chloride.
Fuel electrode of a fuel cell using liquid fuel comprises a porous hydrophobic sheet of polymeric material (acrylic fibre) impregnated with a catalyst (Pt black) and non-adhesively attached to a conductive substrate (graphite rod). Sheet may be attached by wrapping around the substrate and typing with inert cord, wire or fibre, or by pressing together. Other conductive substrates- carbon, steel, brass, Cu, Pb, Sn, or plastics coated with or impregnated with metal.    With liquid fuel heavier than electrolyte it wicks up electrode from bottom reservoir. Lighter fuel wicks down electrode or is pumped to bottom and then wicked up.
Longitudinally grooved conductive (fuel) electrode with the ridges (18) of the angled grooves (17) on the lands (10) coated with a catalyst (Pt electrodeposited). Tetrafluoroethylene polymer preferably deposited on longitudinal grooves (9) and transverse grooves (17). Grooves (9) may be 0.4-6 mm wide, 0.7-25 mm deep fromed by moulding, extrusion or cutting. Light grooves (17) preferably abraded. Electrode may be flat or cylindrical.    Fuel cell with liquid hydrocarbon fuel either flowing up along the vertical grooves of electrode (6) immersed in electrolyte (13) which is pumped via (7) to bottom of electrode, or flowing down from layer (21) by capillary action.    Improved contact between liquid fuel and electrolyte.
A fuel cell electrode is made by coating a porous sintered nickel plate (85% porosity, 1mm. thick, and which has not had water repellent treatment) with a pasty mixture formed by mixing 300 ml. water and 100 g of a mixture comprising equal weights of activated charcoal (contng. 7% silver catalyst) and graphite powder, to which 50 ml. of PTFE is added. A sheet of porous resin is then placed on the coated surface and a flexible nickel mesh placed on top. The electrode is finally covered with nickel foils and a nickel plate and heated for 10 mins. in nitrogen to cure the PTFE bonding agent.    The electrode has a good depolarisation characteristic and a long shelf life.
Fuel cell electrode comprises a porous sintered nickel plate formed with a plurality of hollows, a paste of essentially carbon PTFE packed into the hollows, a nickel net placed over the hollows, holding the paste in position and nickel foils welded round the rims of the plate and net to hold the same together.    The electrodes are thin, strong and durable.    The plate is treated in a 30% PTFE suspension. The parts comprises 100 g. of a mixture of activated charcoal having 7% silver catalyst and graphite powder, in 300 cc. of water and 50 cc. of a 6% suspension of PTFE. The nickel net is 20 mesh, pressed onto the plate and paste at 1 t/cm2. The electrode is heated at 400 degrees C for 10 mins.
A gas diffusion electrode is formed by a pair of 80% porous sintered side plates, the electrolyte- and gas-side plates having average pore diameters of 100-130 mu and 30-80 mu, the space between the plates is filled with a conductive powder which has been treated with a metal catalyst and waterproofed, and the side plates are bonded together at their edges by adhesive.    Fuel cells.    The side plates are produced by mixing 7 pts. carbonyl Ni with 3 pts. (NH4)2CO3 of 50-100 mu or 120-130 mu grain size, forming under 100 Kgm/cm2 pressure, and sintering in N2 for 1 hr. at 700 degrees C to vapourize the (NH4)2CO3. Activated carbon treated with Pt, Pd or Ag is water-proofed with low concentration solution of polyethylene or low polymer urea resin in a volatile solvent.
Fuel cell has at least one electrode forming part of a boundary wall of a gas chamber through which a gas reacting at the electrode passes. The porous wall is arranged across the gas chamber in the path of the gas between the inlet and the outlet and covers at most 25% of the surfaces of the electrode facing the gas chamber and effects a pressure drop of at least 50% of the drop in pressure of the gas in passing from the inlet to the outlet.    The porous wall is preferably ptfe alternatively polycarbonate, or polyethylene glycol terephthalate. The fuel cell may have several gas chambers of the same type connected in parallel.    Provides particularly even distribution of the gas over the entire surface of the electrode in a simple manner. Particularly applicable when the gas contains an inert component e.g. when air is used as oxidant with cracked ammonia as fuel.
(1) Fuel cell electrode comprising a mixture of catalysts and gas absorbing substances, a current collector and a binder including a noble metal or alloy and a mixture of chromic and tungstic oxides, dispersed on a carbon or boron carbide or boron containing carbon support. (2) Fuel cell using the above electrode as cathode together with an acid electrolyte, a fuel containing CO and an anode containing catalysts and gas adsorbers a current collector and a binder.    The binder is PTFE. The noble metal is Pt or an alloy of Pt and Ru. The noble metal serves as the catalyst the oxides as gas absorbents.    A large catalytic surface is exposed using a minimum amount of expensive noble metal.
A vessel containing an electrolyte holds a planar working electrode and on both sides of the latter, separated by diaphragms, a counter electrode. The sample to be analysed can be passed through an inlet to the working electrode and carried away from it by an outlet. The appts. is formed into a unit using a silicone rubber.
The major component is a solid electrolyte and the minor component is a substance which forms a film. In organic silver content metal complexes are used for the solid electrolyte e.g. Ag3SI, Ag2S-Ag2HgI4 and or RbAg4I5. The minor component (between 1 and 25 wt.% of the whole) is polyphenyloxide, polysulphone or PVC. The use is such electrolytes increases the life of the various batteries or accumulators in which it is used.
The conductive cores, surrounded by active material, are encased in sleeves which are permeable by the electrolyte, these sleeves also acting as inter electrode separators. They are made of a woven or fleecy fibre material which is embedded in a microporous mixture of synthetic duroplastic and/or thermoplastic polymers and a formaldehyde resin of a polyoxybenzol with activated ortho- or paraalignments.
Rechargeable cell has a flexible pressure transmitting casing with positive and negative terminals connected to respective plates of oxidisable and reducible material which undergo reversible chemical reaction during charge and discharge of the battery, with an aqueous electrolyte impregnated separator between the plates. The remaining volume in the casing is filled with a liquid exhibiting a high solubility for molecular oxygen, i.e. fluorochloromethane, fluorochloroethane, fluorochloropropane, or trifluorovinyl chloride polymer oil.
Miniaturised electrical supply has a radio-active beta-radiation source, a collecting electrode for collecting the radiation and output electrodes formed by the collecting electrode and a connection device attached to the radiation source. The radiation source comprises tritium, chemically bound to a stable compound of which there is one layer one one surface of the carrier and the space between the radiation source. The collecting electrode conains a layer of a solid dielectric of such thickness and density that the beta-radiation, with an energy of maximum 18 ke V is let through. It is used for the electric insulation of the radiation source of the collecting electrode.
Process comprises supporting an electrolytic cell on synthetic resin concrete having both of insulation property and acid resistivity, not causing creep and set on a surface of concrete floor.
Method comprises connecting lead wires with an electrode formed in a comb shape by sintering micro crystals of CdS on a substrate made of glass, steatite etc. A space is created between a housing and the substrate and hermetically sealed with a silicon rubber layer, and then an exhauster which doubles as an inactive-gas-containing injector is pierced through the silicon rubber layer in such a manner as to reach the space for exhaustion of or injection of an inactive gas into the space. The exhauster-injector is pulled out to restore the hermetic seal.
Fuel cell electrode comprises a film of an ion-permeable substance, or a support impregnated with the substance is provided on the liquid side of the porous electrode.
Process comprises using (a) first layer of Teflon (RTM) powder contng. a blowing agent decomposing at below 400 degrees C, (b) second layer of Teflon powder, (c) conductive and catalytic metal powder and/or metal salt decomposing at below 400 degrees C, and (d) a salt decomposing at below 400 degrees C; c and d decompose at below 400 degrees C to provide pores in the Teflon. A third layer of conductive powder and blowing agent decomposing at below 400 degrees C. provide pores to the conductive layer. The three layers are contacted in order and moulded under pressure and heat to yield a composite which contains more Teflon in the gas side and more conductive component in the liquid electrolyte side.
Gas electrode comprises an ion-conductive film on the side contacting the liquid electrolyte of a bonded porous electrode member.
The cell includes a charging electrode between a negative electrode and an air-breathing electrode, the charging and negative electrodes being immersed in electrolyte.    The air breathing electrode comprises a metallic grid carrying a layer of catalyst composition with a thin sheet of microporous fluorocarbon polymer, pref. polytetrafluoroethylene, adhering to the catalyst. An interior porous surface is in contact with the electrolyte. The polymer is on the outside surface, directly exposed to the enviroment, and confines the electrolyte within the cell while permitting passage of gas from the environment to the interface between the interior surface and the electrolyte.
The electrode contains a quantity of polyterpene resin in the electrochemically active parts of its surface. This is sufficient to render it impermeable to the battery electrolyte, but insufficient to reduce its permeability to gas. Specifically the polyterpene resin is in the electrode body.
The electrode contains tungsten carbide, electrically conductive active carbon, and one or more thermoplastic polymers. Specifically the electrode contains 1-10% by volume of PTFE and 10-40% by volume of polyethylene. More specifically the electrode comprises two layers adhering solidly to each other, one containing tungsten carbide, active carbon and a polymer, and the other only PTFE.
Fuel cell electrode where a metal structure in the form of a three-dimensional network is so arranged that it encloses a large number of cellular chambers which are interconnected. The structure is produced by depositing a metal onto a porous material, such as polyurethane foam, using an electrical coating technique to produce fuel cell electrodes of uniformly distributed porosity.
The cell has a pair of planar air cathodes with a flat zinc anode between then. The electrolyte is contained in a reservoir at the base of the cell. The electrodes are separated by spaced layers of electrolyte-absorbent dielectric material wetted by the electrolyte to provide wicking action for the electrodes. Layers of non-oxidizable membrane dielectric material are placed between the electrolyte-absorbent layers, and a porous layer of sintered metal, and partially wet proofed, low hydrogen overportential, material with thickness 0.001-0.020 in (approx.) is placed between the membrane layers. The electrolyte is specif. an aq. soln. of 20-40% by wt. of potassium hydroxide. The non-oxidizable membrane material is selected from aluminasilicate ceramic, zirconium phosphate, cellophane, polyvinyl alcohol film and carboxylic grafted polyethylene.
Fibrous raw material contng. cellulose pulp impregnated with a synthetic resin soln. acid and oxidation resistant, is formed into thin films. Synthetic resin threads or tapes are interposed between the films and melted. The plates are pressed over their entire surface and dried. The plate is microporous and formed by several bonded layers.
The dry cell contains a separator paper stuck with a paste by 30-70% saponified vinyl acetate emulsion as binder. The anode mix is MnO2/acetylene black; the cathode is C/Zn plate.
The connecting plate comprises a conductive painted film formed of solvent paint consisting carbon as a conductive agent and a basic material paint comprising epoxide resin, polyamide resin and butylol resin.    The plate has good elasticity, shock resistance and separating strength.
Cell is sealed by fusing a powder mixture of thermosetting resin and starch at the joint portion of the outer case covering the cell.
Process comprises filling a metal case, one end of which is closed and on the inner surface of which a conductive film of carbon-containing resin is formed with anode composition and inserting a zinc cathode cylinder, on the surface of which is a starch paste layer contng. thermoset resin powder.
A battery characterized in that anode and cathode are rolled together with separator between the electrodes at least one of the electrodes being made of sheet of fibrous material coated with powdered element eg. carbon.
The electrode comprises an unsintered P.T.F.E. film which is continuous within its boundaries and which contains an electro-catalyst in intimate contact with one surface. The film is gas permeable and prevents aqs. electrolyte seepage through by virtue of the unsintered property. Spec. porous carbon forms an electrode substrate, and the electro catalyst comprises silver, platinum, gold, palladium, or nickel with a P.T.F.E. binder/silicone rubber.
Electrically conductive particles of silver or nickel are mixed with an aqueous solution of a thermoplastic resin, preferably, P.T.F.E., to coat the particles with a discontinuous film of resin, the coated particles are precipitated, mixed with an aqueous solution of a surfactant, preferably iso-octyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol, and agitated into a foamed mass, separated from the foam, formed into a uniformly distributed mat and compressed into a cohesive fuel cell electrode. Selected resin used provides sufficient strength for cell to be used without a supporting structure.
Method involves no need for gas-tight equipment for applying the bonding agent (acetone solution of fluoroplast). The bonding agent is applied later in the process than usual, i.e. after the lead oxide/sulphuric acid paste has been applied to the grids, dried, shaped and dried again. The re-dried plates are dipped in the solution for 10-30 seconds then the solvent is removed by drying.
Gas electrode comprises a plurality of nickel plate electrodes of a high porosity, separated by polyfluoro resin layers.    Used in air/methanol, oxygen/hydrogen or rechargeable cells.
Composite gas diffusion electrode Method comprises: placing a mixture of carbon powder, metal powder, or a powder mixture of carbon and metal, and synthetic resin binder between a sintered porous metal plate and metal mesh, pressing in a mould to form a porous plate, and coating the metal mesh with a suspension of activated carbon powder and synthetic resin.
Composite gas diffusion electrode. Method comprises adding catalysts e.g. platinum, palladium, silver etc. to conductive powders of activated carbon, making the powders water-repellant by using a binder, clamping the catalytic layer between two metallic sintered substrates made of nickel, copper or similar one having lower porosity than the other and filling the end gaps with bonding agent such as epoxy resin, to form a triple layer electrode.
Method comprises vibrating in a horizontal direction, a box contg. thermosetting synthetic resin powder to which colloidal silica has been added, heating at temp. above the melting point of the resin and rotating the base plate in the synthetic resin powder to form a layer on the marginal portion of the base plate.
Lattice-type electrode for electrolysis cells, fuel cells, batteries, etc. Electrode comprises a three-dimensional lattice structure formed by thin metallised carbonaceous filaments connected together to form cells open at all faces. Filaments may be prepd. by treating polyurethane foam by pyrolysis in an oven or furnace and then plating it with nickel, zinc, cadnium, lead, copper silver or platinum.
Electrode comprises gas-absorbent material made from a noble metal and tungsten bronze. (pref. physically mixed, alternatively dispersed) and a current collector electronically conducting with this. Pref. gas-absorbent material is connected to collector by a binder, spec. PTFE.
An anodic and a cathodic cell are separated by an electrically conductive membrane. An electrode is placed in each cell to lead away the current produced by reaction of the chemical substances in both cells. A conductive liquid is present in each cell. In at least one of the cells, a liquid is circulated which is inert to the cell elements and the electrode. This powdered, liquid or gaseous chemical substance which will react chemically with a second solid or liquid chemical in the other cell.
The electrodes are built up from a number of adjacent rods each consisting of a conductive metal core around which the active material is packed and this in turn is sheathed with a weave or braid of glass fibre yarn. This braid is stiffened with axial composite yarns or so called stalks and these composite yarns are made of glass fibre and thermoplastic threads e.g. polypropylene.    The glass fibres are untwisted or very slightly twisted and the plastic threads are for cibly spun. The sheath is dressed with a dressing soluble in the electrolyte. The sheaths are robust and protect the active material during manufacture of the accumulator but do not affect its electro chemical efficiency.
The catalyst electrode has on one side a gasket washer of a thermoplastic material which adheres by keying into the pores and this ring is preferably of a material which is soluble in water or in an aqueous electrolyte e.g. water soluble PVA and can be applied in a mould tool by injection moulding using a spring loaded plate in the mould tool.
The porous supporting structure is filled with the active material under pressure. The basic structure is preformed to the correct shape from fibrous material, the fibres being matallized with a strongly adhering, high conductivity layer. Either plastic material or a polysaccharide e.g. reprocessed cellulose, may be used and the metallizing may be silver or nickel.
A homogeneous mixture of an active electrode matial, e.g. zinc or zinc oxide, and PTFE is heated to form a coherent mass. this is comminuted into particles which are thenf ormed into a porous electrode body by the application of heat and pressure. The inclusion of the PTFE in the electrode facilitates the recombination of the gases generated in the sealed space above the electrode and the electrode lifetime is extended. The electrode is for use in a rechargeable electrochemical system contg. an alkaline electrolyte.
A completely enclosed, constant volume storage battery for adry state battery comprises a dry cell with an opening in its casing connected to an electrolyte container opening. a rupturable membrane is fixed over the cell or container opening and means for rupturing the membrane is fixed in the other opening. when cell activation is required the container is rotated relative to the cell and the membrane is punctured to permit the flow of electrolyte to the dry cell.    The container is pref. made of polyethylene, polypropylene or an electrolyte resistant rubber.
Fuel cell has an electrode with 2 porous layers, one with a high and one with a low porosity. The first one has an average pore diameter of 0.25-25 mu and the more conductive layer that of 0.03-25 mu, which is not greater than the average pore diameter of the first layer. Specif. the low conductivity layer has an average pore diameter of 1-8 mu, and the high conductivity layer one of no less than 0.25 mu. The low conductivity layer is specif. of microporous PVC.
An anode for a nickel cadmium storage battery of closed type is made by adding a finely powdered mixture of cadmium oxide and nickel to a suspension of poly tetrafluorethylene, pressing the mixture to form a moulding and heating the moulding to render it water-repellent and electrolytically reducing the moulding.
Method utilises a device having a chamber with an orifice to admit the liquid to be displaced connected to an ascending tube having an entry for gas which passes continuously through a flow control vavle and displaces the liquid, the tube diameter being less than that of the entering gas bubbles. The tube is pref formed from a material not wetted by the liquid to be displaced, such as polytetrafluoroethylene. The device employs the energy of compression of the gases used to sweep the electrodes, to displace the electrolyte.
Acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or their amides are polymerised in soln. with cross-linking cpds. esp. methylene bis-acrylamide. The resulting gel is crushed, dried, then treated with conc. sulphuric acid.
The edges of the diaphragms are bonded to each other and to the separators by a bonding medium. Several cells are stacked to form a battery and any still open electrolyte spaces are filled with a bonding medium containing a filler such as asbestos powder or a hardened epoxy resin powder. Pockets of asbestos paper are pulled over the terminals before encapsulation. The bonding medium is pref. an epoxy resin.
The gas diffusion electrode for fuel cells made by putting a mixture comprising a synthetic resin binding agent and a mixture of carbon powder and (or) metallic powder between a sintered porous metallic plate and a metallic net, and pressing the mixture and the sintered porous plate and metallic net altogether; and the carbon powder or the metallic powder contain a catalyst.    Spec. the metallic plate/net is Ni, the catalyst Ag, and the binder a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer.
A gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell characterised in that a mixture layer is formed between two porous metal plates, the mixture layer composing of carbon powder with a catalyst, metal powder, or their mixed powder and fluoroethylene resin, or other synthetic resin, and the electrode basically consists of a triple layer.
A gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell comprises: a first sintered metal plate prepared with a water repellant treatment; a second sintered metal plate not prepared with a water repellant treatment and contg. a catalyst, and a mixture layer composed of carbon powder, metal powder, and synthetic resin binder, formed between the firs and second sintered metal plates.    Spec. the plates are of porous Ni, the second contg. Ag; the binder is PTFE.
Gasdiffusion cell electrode A method of producing a gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell characterised in that a mixture is held between two flexible metal nets, and is shaped under pressure by riveting simultaneously the mixture consists of carbon powder contng. a catalyser and a synthetic resin binder.    Spec. the binder is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethyelene and hexafluoropropylene, contng. Ag powder.
Gas diffusion electrode for fuel cell The method of producing a gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell comprises: spreading alternatively fluoroethylene resin and active carbon powder on a porous sheet to press them, the active carbon powder containing a catalyser. The electrode has a satisfactory water repellance, heat and peroxide ion resistance.
Anode for alkaline storage cell The method of making the anode comprises coating a porous plate with an active material of cadmium oxide and alkaline stable short fibre, using an organic solvent solution of polyvinyl alcohol as a bonding agent.    The anode has improved volume and wt. effiency increased capacity and longer life.
A rechargeable cell comprises a cathode consisting mainly of at least one compound selected from the group mercuric oxide, nickel oxide and manganese dioxide; an anode consisting mainly of tin; and an alkaline electrolyte interposed between the cathode and the anode, and in contact therewith.    The cell can be repeated charged and discharged, without loss of capacity.
Dry cell manufacture A method of making dry cell comprising an anode depolariser of MnO2, a cathode of Zn, an electrolyte of the mixed solution of an ammonium and Zn chlorides comprises: making a high viscous solution by adding a paste material into the electrolyte which is one of components of mixed materials of the anode. In separator is a mixture of a pulp and a material swelling to a gel due to the electrolyte, contacting the separator to an inner surface of a vessel of the zinc cathode. The mixed materials of the anode are charged into in the separator and then pressed to impregnate the separator with a part of the electrolyte from the mixed materials of the anode.
A sea-water battery assembly is provided with a device for sequentially operating a number of cells. A number of sea-water batteries are confined in a water-tight sealed vessel with a system for destroying the seal, which is operated by a relay-circuit operating immediately before the storage energy of the battery in operation is exhausted.
A sea-water battery assembly is provided with a system for sequentially operating a number of cells. A number of sea-water batteries are confined in a water tight sealed vessel with a seal which is destroyed by a self-timer, set to operate immediately before the storage energy of the battery in operation is exhausted.
A separator is placed between an anode of AgCl and a cathode of Mg, a spacing plate being interconnected between the separator and the cathode, the spacing plate having insulation and water resistance properties and having a number of meshes which are constructed with lattices which form communicating concave and convex portions. H2 gas generated of the cathode can be discharged through the latter portions.
The centre portion of the plastic separator in contact with anode and cathode is easily permeated by the electrolyte. A hydrophilic material is added to the portion.
A vehicle frame structure, such as an aircraft wing, defines a fuel cell which is subdivided into a number of units each provided with self-sealing walls made from a central core layer, adapted to sweel upon contact with a hydrocarbon fuel, and outer layers or coatings impermeable to the fuel. The core can be foamed natural rubber and the outer layers of nitrile rubber which extends over the edges of the core. Ships, air-cushion vehicles and land or amphibious craft are other applictions.
Accumulator operating on oxygen cycle, incoporates a control electrode of porous structure made conductive by C. Its active component is an organic catalyst whose reduced form, in situ, is oxidisable by O2 to an electrochemically reducible oxidised form.    Preferably the catalyst is (1) a polymeric redox system formed by condensing an aldehyde with a quinone-forming dihydric phenol or an organic dyestuff, or (2) metal phthalocyanine or metal porphyrin.
Fuel cell anode comprises a conductive screen and a thin hydrophilic-hydrophobic catalytic coating. The coating is of 65-95 wt. % powdered nickel with not more than 5 wt. % palladium or platinum sintered onto the screen. The other 5-35 wt. % of the coating is an inert hydrophobic binder, such as polytetrafluorethylene. The conductive screen may be nickel.
Electrode comprises several elementary plane electrodes of equal thickness disposed in the same plane and embedded in an epoxy resin support with orifices, particularly near its periphery. Preferably the electrode is made by injection moulding the resin around the elementary electrodes.
Electrode has a film consisting of a mixture of porous particulate inorganic separator material, potassium titanate in short fibre form, and curable organic polymer which bonds the particulate and fibre material together into a thin porous separator. Polymer may be polyphenylene oxide polysulphone, a polyamide, neoprene rubber, a polyepoxide or a fluorocarbon polymer.
Battery contains element comprising a series of enclosed plates. A liquid absorbant is placed in the compartment and is spaced from the plates but communicates with them via the liquid. The absorbant has sufficient capacity to retain a quantity of conc. acid enough to activate the element fully when it is filled with water to liberate the acid from the absorbant. Pref. the absorbant is a spongy phenolic resin, PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene or silicone, a ceramic refractory brick, active carbon in a Na silicate base, or a fabric of fibres resistant to the acid.
The matrix consists of a porous material such as fibreglass paper or asbestos. The outer periphery of this matrix is impregnated with a plastic material that is less compressible than the matrix. The plastic is chlorotrifluoroethylene or a copolymer with vinylidene fluoride.
A porous perfluorinated polymer substrate, preferably PTFE, is impregnated with an org. solution of sol. Au compound contng. 1-30% Au, preferably from an Au tertiary mercaptide, and 1-20 parts by wt. of a strongly polar wetting agent that is removable at &lt;350 degrees C being preferably DMSO, benzonitrile, alpha, alpha, alpha-trifluoro-m-toluidine, alpha-or beta-naphthol. The substrate is then heated at 100-35 degrees C to decompose the Au compound and remove the wetting agent, to form a thin film of electrically conductive Au and a metal catalyst is finally applied to the coated surface. The fuel cells are stable at up to 200 degrees C and in high acid concn.
Covering carbon electrodes for dry batteries Comprising the steps of (1) vibrating horizontally, a box containing thermoplastic resin powder. (2) in laying a metallic sealing plate having an anode terminal; and (3) rolling the carbon electrode in the resin powder to simultaneously coat the circumferential part of the sealing plate, except the anode terminal portion and part of the carbon electrode close by the sealing plate, and sealing by heating.
Electrolytic paste for dry batteries Comprising paste powder layer, and polyethylene-dimethacrylate layer solely or the layer containing polyethylene-glycol-dimethacrylate, and vinyl resin the paste powder layer is water-soluble or a water-swelling.
Separator for dry battery One surface of the separator is coated with a paste film of mixture of incomplete saponification product of vinyl acetate-crotonic acid copolymer and starch or modified starch. Liquid leakage at high discharge rates and corrosion of cathode are prevented.
Separator for dry battery Characterized by using an incomplete saponification product of vinyl acetate-crotonic acid copolymer with or without the addition of starch or modified starch as binder in third conductive layer.
Using Mg, Zn or Al plate as cathode water, sea water or caustic soda as liquid electrolyte and copper sulfats in anode characterized by wrapping the anode composition with cellophane such that the stretching direction of cell cellophane may be in the longitudinal direction of battery.
Gas diffusion electrode for fuel cell Process comprises forming a sol of silver halide such as silver bromide in hydrophilic natural or synthetic high molecular substance such as gelatine or polyvinyl alcohol, coating the surface of electrode with the sol and reducing the silver halide with a reducing agent such as hydrogen gas, formalin, hydrazine, sodium borohydride or photographic developer, into silver.
Gas diffusion electrode for fuel cell Process comprises uniting an electrode and a gas barrier layer to form a porous double layer sheet, the dinder for powdered electrode material and the electrolyte-contng. and gas barrier, layer being of the same synthetic resin, and inserting hydrophilic resin into pores of gas barrier layer.
Gas diffusion electrode for fuel cell Process comprises inserting ion-exchange or hydrophilic resin such as polyvinyl alcohol, into pores of porous metal plate, applying a collection nickel net to one surface of the metal plate and forming thereon a thin layer of active carbon containing a catalyst e.g. silver.
Alkaline battery separator prodn. Process comprises passing a water soluble, or alkaline electrolyte, high molecular swelling substance, e.g. polyvinyl alcohol and cellulose deriv. and a base cloth e.g. polyamide and polyvinyl alcohol through hot rolls to unite them.
Sealed battery does not overheat during charging and consists of a casing containing a negative electrode embodying electrochemically active zinc material. It is spaced from a positive electrode which embodies electrochemically active nickel material. An alkaline electrolyte is used and the positive electrode has a charge sufficiently greater than that of the negative electrode to facilitate complete charging of the latter without substantial evolution of oxygen at the positive electrode. A membrane permeable to hydrogen gas vents it from the casing. Pref. the membrane consists of a polyethylene film approx. 0.002 inch thick.
The electrode has a conductive substrate with agglomerated electrochemically active particles attached to it by a binder. Specif. the inder is PTFE, polyethylene or polyvinyl. The electrochemical material is Cd. Cd oxide, Zn, Zn oxide, Fe, Fe oxide, Ag, Ag oxide, Mn dioxide or B-nickelic hydroxide.
A series of individual pref. Si photoelectric cells and their inter circuit connections are attached to a transparent, flexible pref. polyethylene terephthalate sheet by a transparent adhesive layer. Each cell face has a transparent quartz cover.
The electrode has a layer of catalytic material for a reaction with a liquid electrolyte, a layer of hydrophobic material which permits the passage of a gaseous reagent but not that of the liquid electrolyte, and a coating of a material which passes less water vapour than the hydrophobic layer. This coating consists of unplasticized microporous PVC with an emulsion primer.
A zinc foil is coated with a first adhesive layer consisting of a (co)polymer of isobutylene, followed by a second layer made of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. Both layers contain particles of a conductive substance of opposite polarity. The electrode is used in electrochemical cells and accumulators.
A gas permeable, semi-lyophobic, electrically conductive anode is produced by first deposition on the surface of finely divided particles of carbon, between .02 and 20 per cent by weight of a metal selected from Group VIII of the Periodic Table. The resulting powder is mixed with a lyophobic plastic binder such as polyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene then moulded under pressure to provide electrically conductive contact between adjacent particles of conductive material.
A light metal anode which may be selected from aluminium, beryllium, calcium, lithium, magnesium, potassium or sodium, and a cathode which is a halide of a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, lead, mercury, iron, cobalt, nickel, silver, gold or cadmium are used in conjunction with an electrolyte of a liquid organic solvent containing a metal salt. A barrier separating the cathode and the electrolyte comprises an ion exchange membrane of cross-linked polystyrene polymer.
A porous anode for an air depolarised cell impregnated with electrolyte, or a solid anode having a surrounding hydrophilic separator impregnated with electrolyte, is packed in a gas and liquid-impermeable bag.    Preferably sufficient anodes to "recharge" a complete battery are packaged together in a protected compartment.    The impermeable bag is preferably polyethylene.    The electrolyte in the separator and aode constitutes the sole course of electrolyte and is sufficient to operate the cell over the life of the anode only with the addition of water.
Prodn. process comprises press-forming and heating a mixture of powdered nickel and silver carbonate and either powdered fluoride resin or fluoride resin suspension. The powdered nickel serves as conductor, the silver carbonate as catalyst and porous surface, and the fluoride resin as water-repellant.
The electrode is made by generating a silver halide sol. in a fluoride resin suspension containing dispersed powdered plumbago or a metal as an electric conductor, and then either spraying or coating or depositing the suspension on a porous base.
A battery separator in which a base netting is immersed in a synthetic resin soln. contg. a solvent, and the solvent is removed after immersion to form a microporous film thinner than the base netting centre section, said base netting consisting of tubes.
The separators are formed from a mixture of resins by rolling and curing processes. A separator for e.g. a "button" cell is produced by mixing a polysulphide prepolymer pref. with 15-60% cationic exchange resin, partic 25% of powdered polymethacrylic acid and the mixture passed through rolls and cured at room temperature. About 10% by wt. of lead dioxide may be added to form a catalyst, the separator being resistant to the electrolyte of the cell and incorporating a cation exchange resin.
The valve consists of a chamber with two apertures the path between which is closed by a porous material which becomes non-porous on contact with electrolyte. The valve is inserted in the top of a battery casing so that when the electrolyte is introduced rapidly into the casing the activate the batter air can escape rapidly through the valve, but electrolyte cannot.
Reactive substances are converted at 125 - 300 degrees C. by electrodes in metallic, electrically insulated supports and if necessary having holes for inlet and outlet of reagents. Pref. the electrodes are insualted from each other by PTFE sealed joints. The cathode has a fine sintered reinforcing coating of Ni carbonyl, and bulk catalyst held by metal mesh.
Electrode permits H2-O2 based reaction, and is entirely or partly made of a metallic and/or non-metallic phthalocyanine polymer which may be ring-substituted. The metal is Cu, in an anode.    Preferably, the metal is Ag, Cu or Co, in a cathode.    Preparation is described.
The negative electrode is an outer zinc can having a top, inner bobbin positive electrode of acetylene black, ammonium chloride. The lower portion of the can is fitted with Mn dioxide. Electrolyte-impregnated absorbent paper is between the electrodes. An electrical contact rod fits into a recess in the bobbin, and extends beyond the top of the can. An electrolyte chamber is above the bobbin, and has an outer cylindrical portion and an inner neck portion. The zinc can has an outer jacket, which holds the negative electrode zinc can in position. Pref. the electrical contact rod is carbon, or more partic. a polyolefin plastic plated with a noble metal. The design is suitable for dry-cell batteries with a means for activation any selected time to start battery shelf-life.
Anode is Li metal. At least the main part of the cathode is cupric fluoride. The electrolyte is Li hexafluoroarsenate dissolved in sufficient concentration in methyl formate to render the solution conducting. Pref. the cathode also contains a finely-divided conductor, and polystyrene as a chemically inert binder.
Anode is Li metal. The electrolyte is a sufficient concentration of Li hexafluoroarsenate dissolved in methyl formate. The cathode is at least a major part of a metal salt such as AgCl, Ni fluoride, Cu chloride Cu bromide or an oxide of a Group IVB, V, VIB, or VIIIB Metal. Pref. the cathode is 90% V (sic) 9% C black and 1% polystyrene binder.
The membrane of the cathode which is permeable to oxygen but impermeable to sea water consists of a hydrophobic polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyhexafluoropropylene, polychlortrifluoroethylene, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidenfluoride and copolymers of them. The electrochemically active catalyst on its side towards the electrolyte is a metal from group VIII or IB of the periodic table, mixed with one of the above polymers. The consumable anode is pref. zinc in the form of a grid coated with sponge metal.
The battery using a separator comprising piles of polyvinyl alcohol coating polyamide resin thin cloth and regenerated cellulose thin cloth, the latter being in contact with an anode electrode plate of sintered nickel powder on which nickel hydroxide is deposited, the former being in contact with a cathode electrode plate of sintered nickel powder on which cadmium is deposited.    Short circuiting due to pinhole formn. is reduced.
A storage battery providing with glass mats, made by impregnating untreated glass mat with a solution comprising carboxy-methyl-cellulose (CMC) (1% soln.) having viscosity &lt;300 cps. (at 25 degrees C) serving as a resin binder and a synthetic resin (pref. polyacrylic acid ester, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)), dehydrating, drying and subjecting it to heat treatment.
The glass mats. are made by solidifying untreated glass mat with a solution of carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) having viscosity below 300 cps. (at 25 degrees C) and startch.    They are strongly bound and hardened.
The method comprises interweaving the fibres to form a hollow string; immersing and drying the hollow string at a given distance in a vessel with an acid-proof bonding agent such as phenol, epoxide resin etc. into a half-hardened state; immersing the half-hardened hollow string in a vessel contng. either water-, or acid-soluble bonding agent; and then form-hardening the hollow string; and finally cutting the hollow string at the portion being hardened by the acid-proof bonding agent.
The tubes are made from hardening mixts. of water and acid proof bonding agents with a dialkylsulphosuccinate penetrant.    The plate has a high rigidity and low electrical resistance.
A process for the manufacture of clad pipe for lead storage battery characterized by treating bags of woven or unwoven acid-resistant fibres with resin, drying at a temperature less than the curing temperature of resin, to evaporate the solvent, inserting mandrels of given section into clads, heating at a higher temperature than the drying temperature to cure the resin and removing the mandrels therefrom.
Mfe. of electrode assembly forsea water battery. One or both of the cathode and a conductive film are coated with a hot melt adhesive, which is cured, and the cathode is contacted with the film and heated.    The adhesive may be a mixture of polyethylene, polyisobutylene and wax.
The conductive surface of an electrode has a number of longitudinal grooves and lands, the latter having grooves in them at an acute angle to the longitudinal grooves and forming projections. The grooves are filled with wicking material of Pt black and porous hydrophobic polymer with Pt black, platinized C or C dispersed in it. Specif. the conductive surface of the electrode may be graphite and the polymer may be a poly-olefin or poly-halo-olefin. The electrode may form the fuel electrode of a fuel cell in which the electrolyte is immiscible with the liquid fuel.
A carrier sheet of separator material is provided on one or both surfaces with projecting spacers punched from a plastic sheet and attached by adhesive or welding. The spacers contact electrodes in the cell and are suitably of polyethylene. The carrier sheet can be an ion exchange membrane such as paper, felt or woven fabric. Spacers on opposite surfaces are staggered or aligned.
Cell for ammonia content determination of industrial or domestic water supplies has an electrolyte which contains an ammonium salt in solution. Specifically the molarity of the ammonium ions originating from the salt in the electrolyte is greater than the maximum molarity of the ammonia which is dissolved in electrolyte as a result of the equilibrium condition in relation to the sample. Preferably, the cells membrane consists of a micro-porous polyvinylidene-fluoride filter.
The walls and partition of the battery container have U-shaped grooves. The cover fits around them with a spigot and has at the bottom a semicircular recess. When a molten thermoplastic material is injected through holes at the bottom of the recess, it pressed the lips of the U-shaped grooves outward and results in a good seal when set.
Prodn. of covering tubes for electrodes. The method comprises introducing a continuous length of acid-resistant fibrous sheet into a hollow tube through an inlet, urging the sheet into intimate contact with the inner wall of the tube by compressed air and helically coiling the sheet by a rotating mechanism.
The method comprises either pressing or melt-binding two metallic clothes of different diameter and fineness, and spraying an organic solvent solution or mixed dispersion on the pressed or melt-bonded metallic cloth, the organic solution contng. resin binder and powderer charcoal or powdered metal, and the mixed-dispersion solution contg. water or organic solvent suspension.    A thin film, highly-reinforced electrode is obtained which is effective in use.
To improve the efficiency of a battery a heater is put in the electrolyte and positioned pref. between the electrode plates. The heater which is pref. made by weaving a cloth from heating wire, is coated with synthetic resin for protection against corrosion by the electrolyte. Pref. the heating wire is composed of resistance wire and kink preventing yarn twisted together.
Gas electrode for a fuel cell. This particularly concerns a fuel electrode which comprises a porous conductive layer, containing a catalyst, deposited on a porous conductive support. The catalyst containing layer has integrated carbon particles on which a catalyst is deposited. The catalyst is a metal or metal oxide. Specifically, the layer also has a water repellent agent dispersed in it which also binds the particles. More specifically, the catalyst is silver and the agent is PTFE.
Moulding compositions for battery boxes and covers Compns. with improved rigidity and impact strength consist of (A) not less than 8% (pref. about 9%) rubber hydrocarbon polymer (B) a fine-particle petroleum coke filler in an amount at least twice that of (A) (pref. about 75% of compn.) (C) sulphur in an amount of less than 25% (pref. 12 to 22%) that of (A), and (D) an accelerator, pref. in an amount of less than 0.54% (esp. less than 0.35%) of the total. (A) and (B) together comprise at least 65% of the total.    The accelerator is pref. an aldehyde-amine or diphenyl guanidine.
Electrode has a high response speed to changes of potential, and is a hollow electrode body of electrically non-conducting material with an ion transfer membrane at one end so that no liquid can reach the interior of the body. For sealing, an insulating waterproof adhesive elastomer is used. At the contact surface with the membrane, the adhesive forms a joint free of discontinuities or interstices and remaining fixed over a wide temperature range. Pref., the elastomer is a silicone rubber which vulcanizes at room temp.
A foil, fabric or net of material, which is highly acid-alkali- and temp.-resistant and of low specific weight in relation to metals used for their good conductivity, is either coated with carbon and/or metal powder in a plastic binder or such a material is mixed homogenously with it before fabrications. The electrically active metal is then applied to this carrier. A dispersion of carbon and PTFE maybe used as the coating. Various methods of applying the active metal asre possible.
The preferred fuel gas is hydrogen and the oxygen containing gas or oxidant is especially air. The solid electrolyte is a gel composed of polymers formed from one or more monomers, capable of polymerization, in the presence of catalysts and/or accelearatos to aid such a process. Typically a polymer based on acrylamide is used. Details of such compounds and of the necessary additives are given.
On the gas side of the electrode, a part of the surface is covered with a porous layer of water shedding material, e.g. P.T.F.E. to trade name TEFLON, and the remainder of that surface with a layer of electrically conductive abrasive, such as wolfram carbide or niobium silicide, or of graphite. An island of the conductive material is formed on the electrode thermoplastically, the material having been compounded from the conductive powder and a synthetic resin.    A metallic contact spring carries the current from the conductive layer. The electrode is used in acid electrolyte electrochemical cells.
The method comprises (a) mixing a binder of the two liquid type consisting of a hardening binder base and a hardening agent (b) adding conductive materials to the binder and mixing (c) adding water to the mixture to emulsify it (d) spreading the emulsified mixture on a cathode metal plate, and (c) heating the plate to bake the conductive materials.
The method comprises mixing conductive materials with hot thermoplastic resin, cooling and finely powdering the mixture, ddistributing the finely powdered mixture on a cathode metal plate, and heating the plate to bake the conductive materials.
Bottom plate is heated above the melting point of a thermoplastic synthetic resin and rotated and horizontally vibrated in contact with resin powder contained in a vessel to produce a coating, on the edge of the plate, which is electrolyte resistant and gives improved leakage resistance.
A cathode zinc can, an anode terminal cap having a layer of resin at its upper edge and a cathode terminal plate having a layer of resin at its lower edge are covered with an outer can having a layer of resin on its inner surface and the contact portions of layers are heated to unite the whole.    A dry cell with excellent leakage resistance is obtained.
The Zn cathode can is coated with a plastic comprising 100 pts. polyethylene or polypropylene, contng. 0.4-2.0 pts reinforcing material e.g. carbon black or graphite fibre.
The process comprises fitting a metal cap to the top of anode carbon, heating the cap and fitting a synthetic resin seal to the top of the anode carbon so that the heated cap fuses the seal to its outer surface.    The leakage resistance of the assembly is improved.
A process comprises adding platinum to a porous electrode of carbon and metal power and treating the electrode with a solution of polymer of (CF3(CF2)n COOCR2OH)4+(n=3-8) e.g. dissolved in a higher alcohol.    The electrode has good mechanical strength, water repellency, gas permeability and long life.
A process for the manufacture of electrode for fuel cell in which pore diameter and resin concentration are varied with the depth by mixing active carbon, silver powder, palladium and aluminum salt with high molecular mixture of synthetic resin, solvent for the resin and a solvent incompatible with the first solvent, casting the resulting mixture as it is on a dish or impregnating a conductive screen or synthetic resin porous sheet with this mixture so as to vary the rate of volatilization of solvent at both surfaces of cast material and drying to eliminated remaining volatiles.
A process for the manufacture of gas diffusion electrode for fuel cell which comprises spraying a dispersion of active carbon powder with or without catalyst in organic solution or aqueous suspension of synthetic resin onto an ion-permeable or -exchange film and forming successively thereon a metal layer and a water-proofing layer.
Layer-built dry element cell has the surfaces of element cells coated with wax, paraffin or natural or synthetic resin containing 1 - 10% butyl rubber. Prevents leakage of liquid electrolyte, evaporation of water and deformation during storage.
Rubber cap etc. pressure die casting. Machine has a central frame for the screw press powered by a hydraulic drive and has a rotor with centre tube and ring supports to carry the stepping rotor and table. This is fitted with press stations, each comprising columns riding in sleeves and connected to upper and lower platens and to heating and midway platens and top and bottom mould halves.
The electrodes consist of an anodisable metal (pref. as expanded metal, perforated, or porous form) from Group IVA or VA (particularly Ti, Ta, Zr alone or in combination; optionally coated with a semi-conducting layer such as a nitride film), intimately connected (coated) with a continuous layer of practically porous carbon. The carbon, particularly acetylene black, is preferably applied in a synthetic resin binder (polychloroprene in particular). Several such electrodes are assembled to form halogen storage spaces and are used in conjunction with zinc-coated electrodes in a zinc halogen electrolyte.
Adhesive e.g. an epoxy resin, for joining conducting surfaces, has dispersed in it a layer of small solid glass balls of uniform diameter to provide an insulating joint.
Electrical accumulator with active carbon electrodes. Accumulator in the form of a fine powder suspended in an electrolyte with contact plates in the form of a metal grid, the electrolyte circulating and giving of a hydrogen-rich or oxygen-rich gas according to the direction of charging current.
Separator of non-woven polypropylene, made of fibres pressed to a solid mass with a porosity of over 40% and a maximum pore size of less than 70 mu. The compression is carried out at 127-149 degrees C.
Electrochemical battery has an anode of zinc and a small amount of a metal of Groups III or IVB. Pref. the added metal is 0.01-0.5 amom %, as a solid solution in the zinc. The metal is pref. Sn or Ga. Pref. the cathode is air-depolarised and has a hydrophobic element contacting a catalytic layer which is in contact with the battery electrolyte; the element is of PTFE, and the catalyst is a mixture of catalyst and PTFE; the electrolyte is an alkali metal hydroxide.
Immobilised electrolytes esp. suitable for flat batteries, consisting essentially of a soln. of NH4 Cl, 5-35% ZnCl2 and opt. up to 0.6% wt. mercury chloride are in the form of sticky pastes containing 2.5-6% wt. polyacrylamide. Viscosity is 1600-35000 cp.
Anode is of sheet metal. Cathode is an oxide depolarising mixture. An electrolyte-permeable separator is between anode and cathode, which are contacted by a pitchlike electrolyte which is immobilized and makes the anode adhere to one face of the cathode, to whose opposite face is glued the cathode collector. The cathode is surrounded by a peripheral moisture-tight frame of sealing material which adheres to the edge of the anode and to the cathode collector and extends the same distance as their outer edges. All the cell elements are glued together, and the margin joint element cooperates with the anode and the cathode collector to maintain a low-resistance contact between the various cell elements.
Thin film of electrically conducting plastics sheet has a uniformly thin layer of cathodic depolarizer deposited all over one face and covered with a thin layer of separator, permeable to the electrolyte. This produces a stratified cathode, which is applied to a non-electrically-conducting hot-weldable plastics film strip which has at least one perforation at the centre of its width.
High-power battery with good physical and electric element contact Cell has metal anode, a cathodic depolarizer mass and a cathode collector. The anode is physically separated from the body and is glued to one of its faces by a polymeric adhesive which provides a conducting path for ions between anode and body.    The cathode collector is glued to the opposite surface of the body by a similar adhesive. Preferably, the adhesive is the electrolyte, and is polyacrylamide or polyacrylic acid containing an aqs. solution of ZuCl2 and ammonium chloride. The anode is Zn. The cathode collector is a conductive resin.
Flat cells for stacking into batteries each comprise a flat anode, electrolyte absorbed in a separator, and a cathode with a cathode current collector, all enclosed in an insulating cover with seals of adhesive around the exposed terminals, and a ring of absorbent around the outside of the cathode terminal seal to prevent leakage of electrolyte through a defective seal.
Battery has at least one cell with electrode plates positioned within a casing. A container, storing liquid electrolyte, is in a space within the casing above the plates. The container is of a flexible, water-insoluble electrolyte-resistant material and has at least one finger-like extension that extends downwards along the plates within the cell. A water-soluble closure seals the extension, and is positioned a preset distance above the casing bottom, so that the electrolyte is not released until water added to the cell has reached the level of the closure. Preferably, a string tied round the doubled-over extension is made of polyvinyl alcohol, or methyl cellulose polymer or poly(ethylene oxide).
electrolytic cells anode for an electrolysis with resin, which comprises steeping a material for graphite anode treating in an allyl resin solution containing 0.5-10% of a curing great and then heating at 60 degrees C to cure the resin.
The object is to increase the utility factor of electrode. In the electrode, the whole or a part of the back surface is stuck to a metal conductor by a mixture of conductive metal powder and organic polymer. The metal powder, for e.g. is Ag,Au,Cu, Fe or Al, is used in amounts of 10 to 95%, pref 30 to 80%. The adhesion strength is sufficiently more than 10 kg/cm3 in practice, because of the large stuck area. When a graphite electrode is used, the organic polymer used is pref chlorine-resiting polymer because of the porosity of graphite.
Electrode comprises a porous conductive layer containing a catalyst deposited on a conductive support, and consisting of integrally-joined particles of C, SiC, boron carbide or Si. The catalyst in this layer is mixed oxides of a chromite (Cr2O4M) or titanate (TiO3M) type, where M is a bivalent transition metal. Preferably, the support is a fabric of graphite, Ti, Ta, Nb or Zr. The particles of the porous layer are bound by a plastic, pref. hydrophobic, such as P.T.F.E. or polyethylene; The P.T.F.E is applied from emulsion in an ammoniacal solution.
Porous diaphragm for an electro-chemical cell is made by precipitating a polymer or copolymer from a solution containing hydrophobic and hydrophillic groups in the molecule. The solution is spread on a glass plate, metal plate or mercury surface and contacted with a precipitating agent. Alternatively the solution may be precipitated on a fabric of metal, glass or plastics fibres. The precipitate is porous and forms the diaphragm.
Meta/oxygen electrochemical battery comprises cells each containing an envelope cathode consisting of a hydrophobic (pref. P.T.F.E.) member having a catalystic layer on its inner surface, a metal anode e.g. lead, zinc, iron, cadmium, aluminium or magnesium and an electrolyte. Heat conductive spacers between and in contact with the cells are corrugated and porous or perforated to allow air or oxygen to pass through the cell. The spacers are aluminium, silver, copper or magnesium.
Storage and controlled release system for a volatile fluid e.g. chlorine for use in a fuel cell powering a vehicle, releases the fluid from a storage tube, divided transversely into compartments and collects it in a chamber for immediate use. The tube enters the chamber through a port containing seals which engage the tube, is slit longitudinally by a knife, passes under a guide roller and emerges from the chamber through a second port containing squeezing seals which expel any fluid remaining in the tube. The tube is drawn through the chamber by friction rollers beyond the second port.
Coating preventing contamination during production and transport is formed from an emulsion of plasticised polyvinyl acetate resin with the addition of 15 - 20 parts wt. (per 100 parts of the emulsion) of a soap-glycerin paste, which has anti-adhesive properties, so that the coating can be easily removed, when no longer required.
Separator suitable for acid-Pb accumulators and having improved durability and lower electrical resistance comprises fibreglass impregnated with PVC latex, contg. 0.01 - 0.3% wt. silver sulphate. The latex used comprises (in wt. pts.) 16 of PVC latex contg. 25% polyvinyl alcohol, 0.02 sulphonol and 90 distilled water.
Separator of better mechanical strength is produced more simply by using a thermoplastic comp. comprising (in wt. pts.) - 1 PVC 6-8 lignin sulphonates and 2-3 cyclohexanone.
Prodn. of a gas diffusion electrode is characterised by spraying a mixture of an aq. suspension of F-contg. resin (pref. PTFE) and Ag colloid onto a metallic net, porous plastics sheet, or sintered metal plate and then carrying out heat treatment of the coated assembly.
Layer built dry cell is characterised in that the cell grommet is a heat-shrinking vinyl polymer tube composed mainly of vinyl chloride and vinyl comonomers having hydroxyl and acetyl radicals.
The cells comprises unit cells having (1) combined electrode formed from (a) carbon and (b) either PVC or vinyl copolymer having hydroxyl radicals as binder, and (2) cell-grommet comprising mainly PVC or vinyl copolymer having hydroxyl radicals, and having its side parts bonded with the circumferential parts of the carbon electrode by means of polyvinylacetal binder.
Process for the manufacture of a dry element cell is characterised by sealing the zinc can of the cell by heating a mixture of synthetic resin (e.g. polyamide), rubber and wax.
Separator, for an alkaline battery, is prepd. by mixing less than 10 wt. % PVA fibres with cellulosic fibres, bonding the entwined portions to form a felt sheet and subjecting the sheet to water-proofing treatment.
At least one oxygen depolarisable positive electrode, which is pref. a nickel or wire mesh coated with ptfe and a catalytically active metal, is positioned in, or forms, a housing containing an alkaline electrolyte and a negative electrode. At least one oxidisable auxiliary electrode of metal more electropositive than the negative electrode is provided in the housing and a circuit is arranged for charging the negative electrode against the auxiliary electrode independent of the positive electrode and for discharging in the presence of the oxygen flowing along the positive electrode, te circuit including a switch to connect the auxiliary electrode in circuit with both the positive and negative electrodes for accelerated discharge.
Connector has flanged male and female parts on opposite sides of a intercel or external wall with the male part passing through a close fitting hole in the wall and entering a tapered hole in the female part to which it is burnt to secure it. The flanges are pref. sealed to the wall by an intervening washer of natural or synthetic rubber or synthetic resin, or by an epoxy resin contained in a recess in a recess in the flanges adjacent the wall.
Process comprises sintering a mixture of nickel powder and a pore-builder such as ammonium carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrite etc. The pore builder is finely ground in a closed mill to a size of 5 to 25 mu and the nickel powder added to the mill immediately on completion of grinding.
A mixture of a water-soluble silver salt (silver nitrate) and a ground carbon and/or powdered graphite is made, with inclusion of a pore-former if necessary. A little water is added and the mixture mixed with an aqs. emulsion of a binder PTFE. The mass, before or after drying, is worked under pressure to a foil which can be activated wet or dry with an aqs. alkali hydroxide soln.
Regeneration of alkaline electrolyte primary batteries The method uses chalk to deposit dissolved zinc, the chalk being applied in the form of a sheet containing 75-95% colloidal finely suspended chalk and 5-25% dispersed cellulose fibres, held by an organic binder insoluble in the alkali.
Process comprises forming a synthetic resin film mantle on the outer and lower surfaces of a zinc can cathode by heating, melting, fixing and sealing the dry cell with synthetic resin sealed plate after insertion of the electric generating elements in the zinc can; and then heating, melting, and fixing the synthetic resin sealed plate with the synthetic resin film mantle on the outer surface of the zinc can.
Process comprises using a cathode Zn can with a portion of it exposed as the conductive zone and having a projection at the base; heating the Zn can and forming a film of synthetic resin on the outer surface by immersion in e.g. powdered polyethylene; then removing the projection to expose the conductive cathodic portion.
On the face of a porous electrode opposite to the liquid electrolyte is a membrane of a polymer or copolymer, e.g., PTFE, having pores smaller than those of the electrode, e.g., in the ratio of at least 1 : 2, backed by a porous support of asbestos, ceramic glass or metal, through which the liquid fuel (methanol or hydrazine), or the oxidant respectively, (hydrogen peroxide) is fed to the electrode.
Membrane electrode e.g. for a polarographic cell, voltaic half cell, or fuel cell, has a protective membrane of electrolyte permeable material provided on the side of the conducting layer remote from the gas permeable membrane. The gas permeable membrane is pref. of PTFE, silicone or other rubber, or polyethylene and of high oxygen permeability.
A porous metal anode which permits rapid charge and discharge at depth is made from finely divided particles of an anodic metal in intimate admixture with polytetrafluoroethylene. The metal may be Pb, Fe, Zn, Cd, Al or Mg. The anode may include a hydrophilic material around the anodic metal and PTFE.
The electromechanical performance of fuel cell electrodes is improved by making an electrode comprising a laminated or compressed mixture of C, a catalyst and a fluorocarbon polymer as binder. The electrode is contacted with a metal reacting with the polymer. The metal is either an alkali or an alkaline earth metal and is applied either as a solution of the metal dissolved in liquid NH3 or in liquid methylamine or in a mixture of naphthalene and tetrahydrofuran or as the hydride or borohydride.
Pasteconsistsof lead powder or lead oxides and a binder and is improved by using as the binder a plastic dissolved in an organic solvent. By this method, the coefficient of utilisation of the active mass is increased and the service life of the accumulator is extended. The paste is prepared by adding to 1 kg. of lead powder or lead oxides 10-30% of a binder, e.g. a 10-20% solution of fluoroplast-42 in acetone.
The electrode is formed by the combination of a finely divided active material bound to a plastic embedded into a plastic mesh, where the plastic holding the active material and the mesh have the same thermal coefficient of expansion. This give better adhesion between the active component and the base than when using metal mesh.
Electrodes are produced from the selected amalgamated zinc powder which with a solution or paste becomes soluble or capable of swelling in the electrolyte. It is mixed dry with swelling and binding agents, and the electrodes are formed from the plastic mass under low pressure, and then dried. These electrodes have good strength properties, and can be produced without injurious effects.
The welded or soldered portion between the electrode base and terminal is impregnated with a water proofing agent and provided with a catalyst. This prevents separation of electrode base from the terminal to give an electrode of long life. Waterproofing agent may be paraffin or polyethylene dissolved in solvent. Catalyst may be a Pt-salt.
Fuel cell has a porous sheet as a liquid electrolyte carrier containing a wire net or grid with a catalytically activated powder together with a synthetic resin adhesive e.g. polystyrene in trichloroethylene soln. Volume efficiency of fuel cell is improved by rendering smaller the thickness of electrodes and improving the resistance to vibration with an easy laminating procedure by combining the liquid electrolyte carrier and electrodes.
The plates are formed from a mixture of Lead Oxide powder, known additives and dil. H2SO4. Additional chemicals (pref. 2, esp. 0.05 to 0.8 wt.% rosin and/or tall oil (resin) are added in the mix of the electro-chemically active compound (pref. contns. abietic acid compounds), for the negative electrodes to form lead salts of resinic acids.
Voltaic cell is constructed with a negative electrode of sodium and a positive electrode of sulphur. The sulphur is in contact with an inert conductor such as carbon. The electrodes are connected by an external electric circuit. The cell consists of a single compartment without a separating membrane and the electrolyte is a soln. of an alkali metal hexafluorophosphate in a polyether of formula RO(ro')nR", in which n is 1-4, R' is CH2 or C2H4R and R" are C1-10 alkyl of C3-10 cycloalkyl and R, R' and R" together contain 4 C- atoms when n=1).
Half-cell contains a negative electrode of Li and Al and an electrolyte of an inert solvent, such as N, N-dimethylformamide contng. an alkali metal hexafluorophosphate. The electrode is an alloy, pref. contng. 1 to 20% Li with a reduction potential lower by at least 0.2 volt than that of Li. The electrolyte contains Li hexafluorophosphate to give a conductivity of at least 0.001 ohm-1 cm-1.
Battery separator (111) is produced by stirring fused polystyrene (1) in high pressure gas (11) (e.g. N2) to diffuse (11) into (1) rolling the gas-diffused (1) into sheets on rollers, then cooling and hardening the semi-semi-fused sheets of (1) on second series of rollers. (111) is porous and acid-proof.
Process comprises placing unit cell (I) on central upper surface of sheet of plastic film covered by layer of bonding material. Electric generating elements are present in (I) and are connected to insulating ring (II) having carbon rod. (I) wrapped in plastic film is inserted into insulating tube surrounded by outer metal tube which has metallic base plate. Heated sealing material is filled on to (II) to cover and fix rim of plastic film and anode cap is fixed to carbon rod. Rim of outer metal tube and anode cap are then bound together.
Carbon powder (1), activated by mixing with aq. soln. contng. cobalt and aluminium nitrates, is used in production of carbon electrodes of improved polarisation characteristics and increased resistance against wetting with liquid electrolyte. (1) (100 parts) is mixed with 7% silver, graphite powder (50 parts) and polystyrene (85%) - monomeric styrene soln. (8 parts) and pressed under 500 kg/cm2 to form electrode.
Carbon electrode (1) is manufactured from secondary carbon particles (70-200 mu) obtained by coagulating or bridging active carbon particles (O.O3 mu with natural or synthetic resin opt. in presence of catalyst. Fuel cell with (1) exhibits excellent current voltage characteristics.
At least one battery electrode has the active material reinforced with a textile sheet to form a self-supporting sheet, pref. by forming a sandwich with textile material between two layers of active material. This pressed into contact with a conducting sheet through which electrical connection is made to the electrode. The conducting sheet may be sandwiched between two sheets incorporating active material. Electrodes of opposite polarity may be assembled together and wound in a spiral or zig-zag. The active material is formed as a paste using a cellulosic binding agent, esp. sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylhydroxypropyl cellulose, or ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose.
Membrane prepd. by casting and drying an aqueous soln. of 100 pts cellulose ether (pref. methyl cellulose of 1.6-1.9 degree of substitution) to 2-20 pts compatible base such as hydroxides or amines. Spec. membrane interposed between Ag and Zn electrodes in alkali cell.    Better combination of electrical conductivity and flexibility achieved than with previously used membranes.
A separator membrane for an alkaline battery consists of a cellulose ether contng. an electrolyte conductance enhancing material comprising a water soluble metal salt of an aliphatic acid or a hydroxy deriv. thereof, the material being present in a proportion greater than about 3% by wt. but below that proportion at which the material will frost out from the membrane.
The cell, designed to have a maximum capacity for a given overall size, includes a tubular metallic outer casing formed from a bent sheet member with the edges bonded together by a resin adhesive. The adhesive may be thermoplastic or thermosetting and e.g. based on a butadiene or nitrile rubber, neoprene with a wax or resin of up to about 20% by wt. base material.
Diaphragm comprises a fibrous material and 6-15% wt. (based on fibrous material) of a copolymer containing hydratable carboxyl, hydroxy, sulpho or amino gps. Suitably an ABS copolymer is used in which the hydratable groups are produced by saponifying the nitrile groups or the copolymer consists of at least one methacrylic acid ester and a dimethylamino alcohol or a bivalent aliphatic alcohol and methacrylic acid. Asbestos, glass, carbon or synthetic material may be used as fibrous material. The polymer and fibre slurried and the water removed leaving a suitable gasket material.
Particles of (1) PTFE, (co)polytrifluoroethylene, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, are mixed with (2) 3-7 parts (by weight of (1)) of leachable metal salt pore-forming particles and (3) 10-20 weight % (per weight of (1) and (2)) of a paraffin wax. The mixture is formed into a sheet, paraffin wax extracted with a petroleum solvent, and the sheets are sintered followed by leaching out the pore-forming salt.
During the first charge of a lead acid battery (in which the electrodes comprise lead on a lead/antimony grid); antimony is prevented from depositing on the negative electrode by interposing between the electrodes. A high polymer, water soluble thermoplastic film esp. of polyethylene oxide. This acts as a temporary colloidal trap for antimony.
Nonaqueous ammonia batteries use polynitrostyrenes (1-2 nitro groups/phenyl ring) as the active oxidant in a conductive cathode matrix; the polymeric oxidant being insoluble in the electrolyte does not migrate physically allowing efficient battery operation for extended periods of time. Pref. the matrix conductor material is carbon.
The pole connecting pieces are glued with an epoxy resin into holes provided in the cell separating walls beneath the accumulator surface. Projections are provided on the cell poles to solder the connecting piece.
The battery has an electrolyte reservoir with a filling pipe and exhaust pipe, passing through the battery, having respectively an electrolyte passage hole and a gas passage hole, the pipes being covered with the thin films at each terminal.
Fuel cell construction For a cell having a molten hydroxide electrolyte in a housing of e.g. nickel which may form the cathode of the cell, employs plug members surrounding the inlet pipes to prevent creepage of the electrolyte up the pipes. The pipes enter through the top of the cell and are surrounded by an outer spaced tube to bring a sealing point to a position of lower temperature. The sealing plugs are disposed at the tops of the outer tubes and are formed from "Teflon" (R.T.M.) or a similar fluorocarbon polymer.
Gas dissuasion electrode consists of a electrical conductor with both sides porous. The layers in contact with the electrolyte are made of an inert carbon-containing material carbon or boron carbide so that one or more hydrophobic bonds bind to the solid conductor. At least one catalyst from the group platinum, gold or silver is present. the layer on the gas side also contains cobalt oxide, manganese oxide or a mixture of oxides with the spinel structure.    The catalyst contains platinum and silver and 0.1-1 mg carbon. At least 1 layer has fibre-forming potassium titanate in it.    The hydrophobic bonds are provided by at least one of PTFE, polysulphones polyethylene or polypropylene.
This method is used especially for making separator plates for storage batteries. The powder is placed in a layer on a continuous endless belt which passes through a tunnel oven. The emerging plate is cooled and cut to size. The cooling channel is situated below the tunnel oven and the endless belt passes through it. The emerging sintered strip is turned through 180 degrees in a loop arrangement before cutting.
Main separator comprises a sheet of a polyelectrolyte organic resin complex contng. conc. H2SO4 so that adding water activates one cell and forms an H2SO4 electrolyte. The auxiliary separator (non-woven polyolefin) is set between the main one and the positive electrode(s), physically separating the latter from acid electrolyte. Used in accumulators.
Fuel cell has a synthetic resin, e.g. epoxide, casing with positive and negative electrodes arranged in alternating sequence, the electrodes of at least one kind being gas diffusion type the edges of which project uniformly beyond the edges of the other knd of electrode where they are interconnected by gas ducts cast in the casing. Electrolyte ducts are provided to interconnect electrolyte chambers between the electrodes.
The active electrode material is finely divided and intimately mixed with a liquid dispersion of a fibrous hydrophobic fluorocarbon polymer (such as PTFE). The mixture is then heated to produce a matrix of interconnected polymer fibres forming, with the active electrode material, a coherent mass. This mass, is then coated onto a suitable current collector, allowed to dry, and the whole compressed to form an electrode in which the active material is readily accessible in use to the electrolyte.
Battery is characterised by having a cathode of larger capacity than the anode, a liquid electrolyte and a gas-absorbing electrode bonded to the cathode with a conductive (e.g. epoxy resin) adhesive. The gas-absorbing electrode may be of silverized carbonaceous or sintered Ni material. Its use gives good charge/discharge performance.
A process for the manufacture of an electrode for a hydrocarbon fuel cell characterised by mixing a powder of active carbon with a powder of copolymer resin of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene and more than 20% (by wt.) of platinum black powder and press-moulding the resulting mixture without the heat treatment.
After forming the plates from sintered nickel and cadmium oxides they are wrapped with a heat shrinkable film such as PVC and sealed.
The valve consists of an inner flexible tube of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride and an outer sleeve of synthetic rubber. To reduce the residual gas in the battery it is evacuated through this valve before sealing. Should the gas pressure in the battery subsequently rise then the gas will be vented through the valve before the battery case fails.
Element cell is covered with a synthetic resin bag, and has expandable ring terminals to fit outer surface of zinc cathode can.
Battery containers are made by moulding and curing a mixture of (1) a polydiene (1,2-polybutadiene or 3,4-polyisoprene) containing two or more OH, COOH or NH2 groups per molecule and having vinyl groups on a majority of alternate backbone C atoms, (2) an aliphatic hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon polymer or polyether containing two or more OH or COOH groups per molecule, (3) an organic chain extender (a diisocyanate, diacyl halide, diepoxide, diol, dicarboxylic acid, diester, diamine or diaziridine) reactive with the polydiene functional gps., and (4) an organic peroxide. The containers are impact-resistant, and are heat-sterilisable for use in space vehicles.
Fuel cell has an electrode on each side of a matrix for electrolyte, with a laminated back up plate behind the electrode, or between electrodes of adjacent cells. The back-up plate has passages for coolant flow and the lamination bond is formed by a metallic screen, providing the conductive connection between the laminations, in a dielectric binder, e.g. of phenoxy or epoxy resin.
Cell is made from immersing BL-006P unit cell in an admixture of 100 parts of 80% of chloropolypropylene and 50 parts of dioctyl phthalate and 100 parts of microwax and cooling the immersed unit cells to form the layer fusion.
BL-006P cell made from immersing the unit cell into 50% of at active polymer containing 50% of microwax and 14.5% of isotactic polymer by wt. and 110 degrees C. Cooling naturally the immersed unit cell having about 0.5 layers in thickness.
Sealed cylindrical electrochemical generator consists of a negative electrode in the form of a cylindrical cup cooperating with a depolarising mass provided with a conducting rod acting as positive electrode, the end of the rod emerging from the generator being covered by a metal cover which constitutes the position terminal of the generator. The cup is produced from metal sheet, and comprises a base and a cylindrical wall which is split along practically all of its height by at least one generator, the cup being externally covered, with the exception of the central part of its base, by a moulded sheath in plastic material, which also fills in the split. The cup electrode can be easily produced, and provides well sealed generators.
Unit comprises a sheet of "water expandable" fibres and active cathode conductive particles which make a conductive network in the sheet which also incorporates a baffle core of a grilled sheet of metal. Preferably the fibrous sheet has a P.T.F.E. binder in it and is porous paper. Particularly useful in fuel cells.
Double guillotine cutter for manufacture of precise lengths from strip In partic. for the manufacture of accumulator plates from continuous strip of sintered plastic powder. Comprises two intermittently operating hold-down/guillotine knife combinations in sequence in the direction of advance of the strip, the distance between the combinations being adjustable.    The moment of operation of the hold-down clamp for the first knife is controllable, an arrangement being provided to initiate the actuation of the moving knives of both units as a function of the actuation of the first clamp. The clamp of the second unit is combined with the moving knife of the unit in such a way that it precedes it in downwards motion, both clamps are drawn up by the knives on the return upward motion.
Electrochemical metal/air or metal/oxygen cells. Gas-permeable enveloping positive electrode carries hydrophobic polymer element, one surface of which contacts the electrocatalyst. Consumable negative metallic electrode is separated from anode by electrolyte. Cell has electrolyte and/or water reservoir. Hydrophobic polymer is PTFE.
A duplex electrode having improved electrical conductivity and adhesion of the coating to the electrode was a coating comprising (a) an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, (b) an adhesive polymer (butyl rubber), (c) an electrically conductive metal powder (Ag, Cu, Al, Zn, carbon black and/or graphite). The electrode is prepd. by etching a metal sheet (Zn, Mg, Al), which has been degreased, with aqs. mineral acid, rinsing and drying before applying the electrically conductive impervious film obtained by mixing (a), (b) and (c) together.
A cell connector is vulcanised into a hard rubber plate which is bonded into a recess in the cell partition by means of pref. an epoxy adhesive to form a tight seal for the electrolyte. The connector is then welded at both ends to the bridges of the sets of accumulator plates in the cells.
Cell has a porous support between thin electrodes and a gas-tight, but electrolyte permeable film of resistance below 5 megohms/cm2 between the support and at least one electrode; at least one electrode consists of a compacted catalytically active powdered material and the porous support is filled with an aqueous electrolyte kept circulating through feed inlets and discharge outlets. Pref. the film is a cellulose derivative while the support is a porous ceramics containing principally magnesium silicate. The thin electrodes minimise concentration polarisation.
A compressed pellet containing a charge transfer complex and a polar liquid is located between an active and an inactive electrode. The polar liquid is pref. water and the charge transfer complex pref. includes iodine and may consist of iodine and polyvinyl pyridine. By using the polar liquid the short circuit current available is greatly increased and the cell voltage is stabilised for a considerable time.
Secondary galvanic cell has a zinc anode, a metal-containing cathode and an electrolyte of alkaline hydroxide. The quantity of the electrolyte in contact with the cathode is kept to a minimum to inhibit formation of dendrites. The anode and cathode are separated by a porous piece. The cathode comprises hydrophobic material which may be PTFE.
Fuel cell electrode Comprises a porous matrix predominantly an intimate mixture of carbon black and metal particles formed by simultaneous thermal decompn. in an incomplete hydrocarbon combustion process. The matrix exhibits a mainly amorphous structure.    The metals have catalytic properties, and are pref. Ni, Co, Fe; a supplementary disclosure also claims Mn, Mo and V. A binder, pref. PTFE, can also be included.
Lead accumulator water loss prevention. Device for preventing water loss in a lead accumulator, the electrolyte of which consists of thixotropic gel, has in each cell lid positioned in the sealing device a spring pressurised valve sealing the accumulator hermetically from the outside but which opens when excess internal pressure prevails and which acts as excess pressure safeguard.
The core is formed of an inert fluorocarbon polymer, especially PTFE, or it may be formed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene with, for example hexafluoropropylene or with a vinyl monomer which contains a sulphonyl group; in this last case, the amount of sulphonyl groups in the copolymer of the core is less than in the coating copolymer.    The process is an extension of NL 67,12232. The products find use as membranes for fuel elements, as matrices for electrochemical elements, as spacers in accumulators and as filters.
Process of manufacture comprises the steps of mixing powder on which catalyst is deposited and carbonaceous powder with powder of synthetic resin, charging the powder mixtures in a mould in alternate layers in such a manner that the catalyst layers are arranged on the opposite surfaces of the carbonaceous layers, pressing the layered powder mixture to form an electrode and heat-treating the moulding to bond multilayers, the powder on which catalyst is deposited and carbonaceous powder such as graphite and acetylene baack having been waterproofed before use.
Process comprises mixing active carbon powder and fluorine-contng. resin powder and pressing the resulting mixture without heating. Provides an electrode of long life having a small voltage drop.
A mixture of ion-exchanging resin and catalytic material is sprayed on both surfaces of ion-exchanging film to form a layer on which is sprayed a mixture of catalytic material and water repellent resin.
Fuel cell is formed by bonding an ion-exchanging film and electrode by a mixture of ion-exchanging adhesive and catalytic material.
SEALED TYPE ALKALINE BATTERIES. J6A. Comprises a battery jar and a safety valve; the battery jar housing anode, cathode, separator and alkaline electrolyte, the anode using silver oxide or nickel oxide as an active material, the cathode using cadmium or zinc as an active material, the alkaline electrolyte contng. mainly caustic potash; and the safety valve forming from an elastic material such as synthetic rubber, the thin film forming from an oily fluid material having alkali proof and water-repellant properties and showing no volatilization when used in battery e.g. liquid paraffin, an oily silicone resin etc.
Battery plate tube is made by draw-forming a knitting comprising acid-proof glass or synthetic resin fibre woofs and glass fibre warps, the woofs being crossed spirally with the warps either side of each other, the warps being soluble in sulphuric acid.
ALKALINE ACCUMULATOR having a positive electrode of silver oxide, a negative electrode of e.g. zinc, and a separator consisting of a few layers of cellulose hydrate foil with a solution of 2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine applied thereon, is improved by using 2-methyl-5-vinyl pyridine in the form of its 1:1 copolymer with methacrylic acid, whereby the internal resistance of the accumulator is reduced, the swelling of the separator is incressed, and the adhesion is improved. The copolymer is dissolved in a solution of KOH in a water-alcohol mixture, and the 10% solution is applied onto a stretched cellullose hydrate foil. The thickness of a two-layer membrane is 0.1-0.15 mm. The membrane side free of the copolymer faces the negative electrode.
The distance between a metal anode and mercury cathode in alkali chloride electrolysis cells can be reduced without risking short-circuits by providing the anode with a surface layer of a fabric made from multifilament threads. The anode can be made from graphite, or as metal, such as Ti, Ta, Nb or an alloy thereof; a metallic anode is coated with a layer of a platinum group metal or alloy. The fibrous layer may consist of glass, quartz or alumina fibres, or organic fibres made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyacrylonitrile or polyester. By this method, operating voltage of the cell can be reduced by 0.4-0.5V without affecting the efficiency, with a consequent reduction in current consumption.
HOLE PUNCHING TOOL FOR ACCUMULATOR SEPARATORS... Consists of a first element into which the container wall is inserted and which carries the power driver for the punch, connected to a second element round which it can rotate and which in turn is connected to a source for delivering power to the first element, means being provided for holding the devices in a specific position.
MICROPOROUS DIAPHRAGM FOR ELECTROLYSIS. J1- Is prepared by applying a liquid mixture of high molecular weight compounds containing a chemical-resistant synthetic resin, a solvent for the synthetic resin and a non-solvent having a mutual solubility in the solvent, to a woven knitted or non-woven fabric substrate of chemical resistant synthetic or mineral fibres, and then volatilising the volatile matter in the substrate or steeping the substrate in a liquid having a mutual solubility in at least the solvent in the liquid, mixture and being non-solvent for the synthetic resin, to thus form micropores.
Battery casings is moulded in polypropylene with ribbed partition walls defining intermediate electrolyte cells which are smaller than the end cells and casing and walls which are littel thicker than the partition walls and designed to bow inwards by up to 2.03 mm after moulding. Subsequent deformation of the concave end walls due to hydrostatic pressure after filling the casing with electrolyte results in a straight sided battery.    Pref. the casing is fitted with a (heat sealed) cover having a sufficiently broad and tapered inner lip to accommodate the top of the bowed sidewalls during fitting and assembly.
A woven or non-woven sheet of acrylic fibres is impregnated with an acid resistant resin, dried and then cut of size for use as accumulator separators.    Staple fibres of wet or dry spun acrylates are pref. made into a non-woven paper-like material and then impregnated with a soln. of e.g. phenol formaldehyde resin in a solvent, which is driven off during the drying process.
LEAD-ACID BATTERY ELECTRODE. F6A. Produced by laminating a lead alloy (pref. PB-Ag alloy) to a thickness of 0.1-0.5 mm by electrolytic attack and then reducing this in dil. H2SO4.
A copper conductor has threaded ends, one engaging a bus bar, the other a titanium bushing which is plated with rhodium and is threaded in the anode of an electrolytic cell. A sleeve of titanium ceramic or plastics material which has a threaded integral flange is screwed down and compressed a seal ring of rubber or polytetrafluoroethylene. The sleeve extends through the anode cover and in combination with the flange and the seal ring, provides complete protection of the conductor from electrolytic attack.
POLYETHYLENE-BASED FUEL CELL ELECTRODE. J6A. Made by pre-burying a gas-permeable synthetic resin layer such as polyethylene film between the powdered plate constituent material such as powdered-nickel-activated carbon, press-forming and heat hardening.    Electrode is made waterproof.
GAS DIFFUSION ELECTRODE. J6A. Is produced by mixing a fluoro resin powder and carbon powder, heat treating it and then pulverising it into powder, mixing it with synthetic resin, press moulding and then drying it.
FABRICATION OF SEALED ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES. M6A. Particularly dry batteries, rechargeable cells or assemblies of these, by heat sealing the insulating, generally tubular, plastic structural body or casing to the peripheral region of an electron-conducting contact electrodes.    The contact electrode may be metallic or a conducting mixture of a plastic or ceramic and a conducting material e.g. graphite. In the firstcase, a relatively low melting plastic adhesive (B) is bonded to the peripheral region of the electrode (A) preferably in a cavity e.g. a turned-over rim, and is then heat welded in this region to the plastic structural body or casing (C).
STABLE POSITIVE ELECTRODE FOR BATTERY. B6A. To improve the shelf life of a battery, its positive electrode has a principal active material which is isolated from the electrolyte by an impermeable layer consisting of a secondary active material dispersed as a continuous phase in a resin binder such as of polystyrene. Only upon discharge of the secondary active material does the layer become permeable to the electrolyte and allow the principal material to discharge.
GAS PERMEABLE PTFE FILMS F1-. which are porous and hydrophobic, for use in electro chemical cells, particularly fuel cells are produced by depositing a separating layer on a plate or a hot mould, then spraying on., and heating, suspensions or solutions of polymers of tetrafluoroethylene or other fluorine containing compounds so as to obtain gas permeable sheets of high mechanical resistance.
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL WITH Pt/Pd CATALYST ELECTRODE. Comprises a pair of electrodes separated by an electrolyte, with at least one of the electrodes made from the Pt/Pd catalyst, Pd being present in 5-25 wt.% (pref. 10-20 wt.%), and a hydrophobic polymer, pref. polytetrafluoroethylene. The electrode may consist of a conductive support with a uniform coating of catalyst and polymer.    The cell may produce electrical energy directly from a fuel (e.g. H2) and an oxidant (e.g. O2). The Pt/Pd catalyst gives a better performance than Pt or Pd alone, and the hydrophobic polymer improves the wetting characteristics.
The fuel (pref. hydrogen, contng. carbon monoxide as an impurity) is brought into simultaneous contact with an acid electrolyte (pref. 40-85% aqueous H3PO4) and the fuel electrode, which contains 14-64 atomic % Au, (pref. 30-60 atomic %, esp. 40%). This may be mixed with a dispersion of a hydrophobic polymer, pref. PTFE. The oxidant is brought into simultaneous contact with the electrolyte and the oxidant electrode.    The Pd/Au alloy electrode is not poisoned by the carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen and is resistant to strong acid electrolytes.
Internally subdivided battery cases having thin parallel sided walls are injection moulded between an outer mould part and an inner part made up of a plurality of separate cores. After the injection some of the cores are withdrawn to remove pressure upon the walls after which the remainder of the cores are withdrawn along with the moulded core, the core subsequently being removed from the cores by a stripper plate.
Process comprises placing a number of unit cell cases consisting of heat-shrinkling synthetic resin film and electrode one by one in a number of holes in a cell case frame, placing an electrolyte-absorbing paper on every hole, placing a formed composition frame containing a number of formed compositions in holes of the formed compositions frame above the cell case frame in such a manner that every hole of the cell case frame coincides with every hole of the formed composition frame, pushing the formed compositions and electrolyte-absorbing papers by pushers into cell cases and combining cell cases, papers and compositions.
Process comprises using a cathode zinc can which is heated in contact with a bottom plate and coated with a film of fusible synthetic resin around the outside, thus liquid electrolyte does not leak out from the cell when the can is consumed.
Battery structure comprises forming conductive and ion-permeable layers in the anode composition.    An improvement exists in the anode composition in which manganese dioxide, mercury oxide, silver oxide or nickel oxide is used as depolarizer and provides a battery in which the utilization of anode composition is improved and which is suitable for high load discharge.
FINNED SEPARATORS, e.g. for use in lead-acid accumulators, are made with improved electrical characteristics and from materials of reduced cost. Their basic material is in the form of thin sheets or strips of microporous rubbers having a thickness of e.g. 0.5mm. A layer of paste made from a 20% solution of P.V.C. resin in acetone (or in dichloroethane, methylene chloride, etc) mixed with previously dispersed ammonium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate (taken in the ratio of 6-7 parts by weight for each weight part of P.V.C. resin) is applied to the microporous rubber. The composite is then rolled through profiled rollers so that a second layer of the paste is given a finned configuration.    The whole is then treated in water, or in a flow of hot air, to separate the solvent from the PVC and the paste, such that the final separators have a high degree of porosity. Efficient drying follows the water treatment to ensure freedom from moisture. A highly-porous structure is thus obtained with ebonite as the substrate and PVC in finned form as the upper and outer layers.
Electrode usable as air or oxygen electrode in a metal air battery or in a combustion battery, consists of an electronically conducting grid and a hydrophobic binding containing a catalyst consisting mainly of catalytic electronically conducting granules. The binding is pref. polyvinylidene fluoride.    The electrode is electrically stable, mechanically strong and the catalyst not expensive.
Casing of the type described in the parent patent comprising a cover having a central ductile part, a tooth for perforation of a membrane thereunder, and a vent on the opposite side to the tooth which is blocked by a movable sphere.    Pref. the walls of the casing contain insulating joints of an elastomer resistant to thermal shocks, for example an ethylene-propylene copolymer, particularly a non-conjugated ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.
Separating layer consists of (1) paper with water-absorption and -retention properties, (2) protective membrane consisting of polyvinyl alcohol alone or polyvinyl alcohol with incorporated material(s) having water-absorption, water-retention, swelling, and/or adhesive power, and (3) paste layer.    During battery discharge, membrane (2) dissolves to pasty consistency, but insoluble PVA membrane maintains its shape until dry battery is completely discharged.
The fuel cell consists of an anode, and a cathode separated from the hydrazine- based electrolyte by a membrane from a copolymer of an alkali salt of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with ethylene. This membrane exhibits greater permeability, and so increases the efficiency of the electrochemical reaction.    The membrane may be from a copolymer of 8-25% alkali acrylate or methacrylate, 2-15% acrylic or methacrylic acid and 74-90% ethylene, or a copolymer of 10-30% acrylic or methacrylic acid with 70-90% ethylene in which 25-85% of the acid has been converted to alkali salt.
In addition to a catalyst, which re-combines the oxygen and hydrogen produced in the accumulator, the oxygen deficit is offset by an element which introduces oxygen from the ambient air at a suitable rate. The carrier for the catalyst is synthetic graphite. The catalyst itself is produced by applying palladium to a graphite powder and mixing the mixture with a powder of polytetrafluorethylene or of copolymers of it and of propylene hexafluoride. The element to replenish the oxygen is made of hydrophobic porous material which is resistant to the electrolyte and contains fine pores to admit the air.
Oxygen electrode for fuel cells with an acid electrolyte... Comprises two layers, via, a hydropholic layer in contact with tin electrolyte and a hydrophobic layer in contact with air. The hydrophilic layer contains a semiconductive organic catalyst, such as a monomeric or, preferably, polymeric phthalocyanine and a semiconductive hydrocarbon polymer: and inert, electrically conductive material, such as carbon black, and an organic binder, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyacrylonitrile or polystyrene, rendered porous by the addition of a water-solubel, powdered substance (pref. NaCl) which is subsequently dissolved. The hydrophobic layer consists of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene or polyacrylonitrile, rendered porous in the same manner. The two layers are separately consolidated and then sintered together, or jointly compressed and sintered. The advantage of this electrode consists in that there is no need to apply superatmospheric pressure to prevent leakage of tin electrolyte.
The stopper includes a membrane of perhalogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon with respect to which the angle of contact of the liquid electrolyte is greater than 90 degrees. The membrane permits gases produced in the cell to escape to the atmosphere and has a film which is more permeable to at least some gases produced in the cell (e.g. hydrogen) than to at least some gases contained in the atmosphere (e.g. oxygen). In particular, the film is selected from regenerated cellulose, ethylcellulose and polyethylene or comprises a film of palladium one micron thick.    The stopper permits the escape of gases from a primary or secondary electric cell without allowing the corrosive electrolyte to spill out.
Improved battery separator for use between positive and negative plates comprises a net made by placing one group of parallel and independent synthetic resin fibres forming a plane, in parallel and on the cross horizontally, upon another group of parallel and independent synthetic resin fibres; and joining the groups together.    The member between the plates may also be a separator made by joining the net together on one or both side of the micro-porous materials.
Inorganic separator for alkali accumulators.. G6A. which have a soluble zinc electrode and a counter electrode of Ag, Ni or an air depolarising electrode, consisting of a crystalline layer of an oxide or hydroxide of a transition or rare earth metal, insoluble in the electrolyte and either deposited directly on one of the electrodes or forming a self supporting separator between the electrodes. the elements selected having an ionic radius greater than 0.7 angstroms.
Which are made of pressed or fritted plaques from fluorocarbon polymers. These membranes are preferably made from PTFE as the fluorocarbon, but in their manufacture the PTFE powder is mixed with a metal oxide or spinel of which the corresponding hydroxide or hydrate is insol. in concd. alkali so that the membrane can transmit a weak current. The volume ratio of the PTFE powder to the metal oxide is between 30/70 to 90/10. The high negative charge of the fluorines in the fritted membrane surface effectively repulses the positive charge of the Zn electrode thus effectively preventing branching between the electrodes when they are coated or separated by the membrane. These membranes have excellent resistance to alkalis and can have varied ohmic resistance depending on granule size of powders used.
The ambient-temperatrue electrolytic conductivity of cellulose ether membranes is increased by equilibrating them with an aqueous soln. contng. 25-45% by wt. of an alkali metal hydroxide maintained at 10 degrees C., and then exposing them to ambient temperature. The membranes are used in alkaline Ag cells, in which they resist oxidation by Ag2O and penetration by metal ions.
Fuel cells employing at least one gaseous fuel supplied to a porous electrode, and electrolysis cells in which at least one of the products of decomposition is gaseous, are provided between the electrodes with (1) a bibulous material which entrains the cell's electrolyte, and (2) within the bibulous material, a microporous diaphragm of pore size 0.25-30 microns. Pref., the bibulous material is asbestos or non-woven polyolefin, nylon, PVC, glass, paper, cellulose or regenerated cellulose, and the diaphragm is made of PVC, polyolefin, fluoropolymer or rubber. The diaphragm prevents polarisation of the electrodes by migration of molecules of reactant or product from one electrode to the other, but permits the passage of ions.
Manufacture of carbon electrode.. J6A. By mixing carbon and synthetic resin soln., grinding the resulting mixture after drying to a particle size finer than that of original carbon material, moulding the article under pressure at a temp. above the softening point and below the melting point of the synthetic resin.    The electrode is used in an air cell or fuel cell and has long life at a high voltage.
The dry cell has a moulded anode coated with a precondensate of urea resin, appropriate to the quantity of paste to be filled into the can.    The cell has a good resistance to leakage of liquid electrolyte by preventing the reduction in the viscosity of the electrolyte paste.
A porous synthetic resin applied with a starch is placed as separator between the anode composn. and the cathode zinc can.    The layer of electrolyte paste is improved to increase the amount of cathode composn. used resulting in the improvement in the cell performance. The separator prevents the leakage of electrolyte of low viscosity and the local corrosion of cathode zinc can, due to the local discharge.
Dry element cell is characterised in that the anode composn. is sepd. from the cathode zinc can by a cylindrical separator made from a net of heat-shrinking synthetic resin provided with a gelling agent.    The use of the separator provides a good adhesion of anode composn. to the carbon bar by the shrinkage of synthetic resin of separator on heating and a good maintenance of liquid electrolyte by the gelation of gelling. The dry element cell has large discharge capacity.
The anode composition is covered with a network cylinder made of synthetic resin fibre, having resistance to the liquid electrolyte and heat-shrinking property. The fibre is e.g. of polyvinylidene chloride.
Antishrinking agent for the paste of negative plate of a lead accumulator consists of a combination of (I) a desugared lignosulphonate consisting of a phenolic propane polymer having a branched chain, or a transversely cross-linked structure, (II) barium sulphate, (III) carbon black, and (IV) an antioxidant oil.    The agent effectively prevents shrinkage of the negative plate, and increases the rate of discharge of a lead accumulator.    The agent can be packed in amounts suitable for direct mixing with the lead oxide and acid, in an industrial plant.
Apparatus for filling receptacles with liquids to a predetermined level..    By means of two concentric tubes in which the liquid passes through the annular space between the tubes, and air and excess liquid passes through the inner tube.    Used particularly for filling accumulators, using apparatus with sufficient filling heads to fill all cells at the same time.    The apparatus is pref. made from polyvinylic material such as polyvinyl chloride. The annular space between the tubes is connected to a liquid reservoir which contains the liquid to be filled, and is under a slight pressure P1; the inner tube is connected to a return reservoir for the excess liquid under a slight pressure P2 which is slightly lower than P1.    The outside of the base of the inner tube has a radial projection shaped to divert the liquid towards the outer tube to prevent entrainment of the liquid into the inner tube.
Sealed galvanic element is provided with a separating bed of in exchanging material disposed between the two electrodes, the thickened electrolyte situated between the negative electrode and the depolariser containing granules of an anion exchanger, optionally mixed with a cation exchanger, the granules being capable of absorbing at least three times their weight of water in the dry state.    Specifically, the granules are pref. capable of absorbing 5-15 times their wt. of water, and the diameter of the granules is 15-70 mu. The anion exchanger is pref. a polymer of styrene and divinylbenzene substituted by quaternary ammonium groups, the degree of crosslinking being less than 3 mole %. The granules may be bonded by a binding agent. The negative electrode is composed of zinc, and the electrolyte contains zinc chloride. The element is produced by distributing granules of an anion exchange resin, optionally mixed with granules of a cation exchange resin, in a binding agent, applying the material to the internal surface of a zinc cap undergoing rotation, and eliminating the solvent from the binding agent.
Poly(tetrafluorethylene) powder is moderately compressed and strongly heated to make a sintered porous disc. A mixture of catalytically-active carbon powder, polyethylene powder and a water-soluble, or volatile, salt is compressed under very high pressure, without heat. A thin layer of polyethylene powder is then sprinkled over this, the sintered disc superimposed, and the sandwich heated under moderate pressure. From the product the salt is removed by water or heat, giving an oxygen electrode.    The process is simpler, and makes a more effective electrode, than prior art.
The anode mix is covered with natural or, synthetic powdered paste or resin, and the powdered paste or resin is gelled by the water content of the anode mix, on the surface of the anode resin.    A relatively strong film is formed on the anode mix the water in the electrolyte moving and it is therefore possible to improve manufacturing troubles caused by local or overall swelling of the anode mix. Short circuits caused by swellings are eliminated.
A unit cell comprises layers packed in turn, the layers contng. a cathode made from Ag foil, an electrolyte about 100 o 200 mu in thickness, an anode made from a mixt. of Fe and acetylene black, a graphite layer, and Ta layer, the cathode is coated on the side with a fluorine resin layer. Several unit cells are piled and packed tightly, and the external face plate is made from a fluorine resin. The side of the cathode is covered with a fluorine resin layer, 10 to 40 mu in thickness, made by sintering powdered fluorine resins. The fluorine resin layer prevents I2 extruding, and the cathode has no contact with the I2 vapour gases extruding from the anode, and thus there in no self-discharge.
Flexible sheet electrolyte body for use in a fuel cell comprises a laminate of two different layers of a cellular matrix material based on a fluorocarbon polymer gel in the pores of which a liquid acid is entrapped and the thicker layer is loaded with carbon powder and opt. a finely powdered inert. inorganic cpd. whilst the thinner layer is loaded with the latter without any carbon powder.    Suitable matrix gel is P.T..F.E and suitable inorganic cpds. are the oxides, sulphates, phosphates, borides or carbides of Zr, Ta, W, B, Cr or Nb.    The thicker layer contains 5-90% carbon powder - 0-80% inorganic powder, 5-90% PTFE. The thinner layer contains 70-95% inorganic powder and 5-30% PTFE.    The finished laminate contains 30-70% wt. entrapped conc. liquid acid and is placed between the anode and cathode in the fuel cell with the carbon contg. layer adjacent the anode.
The handle is a suitably shaped hoop of metal etc. with J- hooked ends which pass downwards through apertures in the battery case rim and are secured against pulling out, by weding elements of a suitably rigid plastic e.g. hard PVC, polyamide, polypropylene or hard rubber, which are inserted from below into each of the holes to fill the empty space in the hole left by the handle. The wedging element can be glued or clamped to the case.    Provision can be made for pivoting the handle sideways into a horizontal position, by cutting a deep groove adjacent one side of the holes.
Electro-chemical generator: It consists of a preferably silver-containing positive electrode, a preferably zinc containing negative electrode, an alkaline electrolyte and a semi-permeable cellulosic membrane (as made by the above method) separating the electrodes. The membrane is impregnated with an anti-oxidant amine compound (e.g. an alkyl-substituted diphenyl amine, or naphthylamines, phenylene diamines, substituted derivatives of these and mixtures thereof).    This type of semi-permeable separator has provided unexpected improvement in battery life over regenerated cellulose prepared by the viscose process or by the cuprammonium process. In addition to deterioration resistance obtained by using de-esterified cellulose esters and impregnation of the membrane with the colloidal metals, unexpected improvement in the life of the separator is obtained by impregnating it with the amine-antioxidant.
Continuous prodn of lead electrode accumulator sheaths from plastic sheets. B1-. By feeding two sheets of material between a pair of grooved rollers, a mandrel extending through each space between the rollers defined by a pair of opposing grooves. The sheets are formed into a number of parallel tubes, the longitudinal edges of which are united by the pressure applied by the rollers.    The sheets are bonded together by heating the rollers or by pre-coating the sheets with an adhesive.
An electrode for an electrochemical cell comprising a mixture of graphite powder which has been worked so as to have a surface area of at least 100 square meters per gram, and a material which is substantially hydrophobic.
The process comprises holding the bottom plate, heated to a temp. above the melting point of heat-fusing synthetic resin, while projecting edges of the plate from the plate holder, then rotating the bottom plate in powder of the resin to form a layer of resin on the edges.    The resin has insulating and electrolyte-resistance properties. The cell has good leakage resistance.
Dry element cell separator.. J1-. Is formed by grafting a cellulose material with hydrophilic substance under electronic irradiation, and placed as an electrolyte-carrying layer between the cathode Zn can and the anode compn.    The surface of cellulosic material, such as kraft paper is coated with a hydrophilic substance, such as acrylamide, diacetoacrylamide and their polymers, or polyvinyl alcohol, under irradiation, to graft the hydrophilic substance with the kraft paper, with possible cross-linking between the substance and cellulosic material and between the substances.
The outer surface of cell elements is covered with a cylinder of network of linear synthetic resin, having resistance to the liquid electrolyte, and heat-shrinking property, which strongly ties the elements. Small internal resistance, an easy charge of liquid electrolyte and a large generating capacity, are obtained, with good current and capacity properties.
A synthetic resin conductor is provided to the anode and cathode respectively and an insulating member is united to both conductors by adhesion or welding. The conductor at the cathode side contains as conductive substance a powder of metal capable of being amalgamated, such as Ag or Cu.
EMISSIVE PASTE FOR COVERING OXIDIC CATHODES and having good adhesion to the electrode is based on poly-butyl-methacrylate with 1-2% methacrylic acid as binder. Previously, the use of poly-methylmethacrylate gave inferior adhesion. In an example, 1-2% methacrylic acid are added to a paste containing 3 g poly-butyl-methacrylate, 1 ml di-butyl-phthalate 150 ml. iso-amylacetate per 100 g carbonate. The resultant coating has a density of 3 g/cm3.
Accumulator battery casing has end and lateral walls and number of internal partitions separating the cells. The lid covering the casing top is made of relatively rigid thermoplastics. It has annular apertures for the cylindrical terminal rods, the apertures having slightly smaller dia. than the rod. Elastic collars are in contact with the lower lid face, the opening of each one coaxial with the respective aperture. The lid may be made of polypropylene.
The electrodes are mounted by means of inset pieces held under the action of a pressure exercising element, pref. a helical spring of glass. The end of the helical spring directed away from the inset piece is pref. fused to the housing. Each inset piece consists of two disc-shaped elements, adjoining upper and lower layers of quartz wool. Borings are placed in each inset piece. The disc-shaped elements of each inset piece pref. consist of PTFE.
Low-density battery paste is made by (1) forming a slurry of PbO and H2O containing small amounts of a stabilising agent, a foaming agent and a strengthening material uniformly distributed throughout the slurry, which contains not more than 45% by wt. of H2O, and (2) redistributing H2O in the slurry by aeration with an inert gas containing 10-100% of CO2. Pref., the strengthening material is emulsified PVC or polyvinyl acetate, and the stabiliser is Na carboxymethyl cellulose or polyvinyl alcohol. Battery plates made from the paste have increase capacity at high rates of discharge.
Alkaline galvanic battery comprises plastic (preferably polyethylene) casing, positive and negative electrodes separated by diaphragm. Diaphragm rests against peripheral ledge on inside face of casing. Metal current pick-up is placed on face of positive electrode furthest from diaphragm.
Fuel cell. .J6A. Has a water-repellent porous-plate collecting the current through its edge.    The plate is manufactured by kneading powdered carbon and synthetic resin binder (polystyrene) between flexible metal e.g. Ni nets. The gas diffusion electrode which closely binds active carbon layer to the one side of said plate.    Advantages are proof leakage is maintained and resistance polarisation is avoided as active carbon is in direct contact with metal.
The ion permeable membrane which is arranged between the cathode mixture and the absorbing lining of the zinc jar prevents migration of water and lining material towards the cathode and that of cathode mixture material to the zinc jar. It retains its form during storage and in the early stages of discharge but becomes dissolved later during discharge when the zinc ion concentration in the electrolyte has risen above a certain figure.
Cylindrical shaped electrochemical cells.. B5-. Which have a rod-like electrode placed inside the cup-shaped negative electrode, have seals at the upper part of the cell (i.e. the end from which the rod-like electrode protudes) comprising a clamping device to clamp the tubular wall of the aperture in the covering tight against the rod-like electrode.    An efficient seal is produced which is small and relatively light in weight.
ALKALINE CELL WITH AIR POLARISATION consisting of two metallic containers (8) and (9) containing a zinc negative electrode (1), an electrolyte-containing separator (2) and, fitted one above the other, a carbon positive electrode (3), absorbent layer (4) and metal cap (5) with a ventilation hole covered until required by a plastic film (6). Parts 3 - 6 are surrounded at their edges by a thermoplastic packing ring (7). To increase reliability of the cell, this packing ring has radial grooves where it comes into contract with the sides of the metallic containers. (To allow escape to the atmosphere of any potentially dangerous pressure build-up).
Acid - shock-resistant plastics separators for spacing accumulator plates. N6A. Are made of plastics fibres e.g. methacrylate, closely interwoven, shrunk and hardened over the plates to hold them and their active constituents together. The separators are heat-welded along their side and are microporous to allow generated gases to escape. They may have a vertical ribbed tubular knitwork structure (wave-profiled horizontally and supplied with channels bordered by vertical cords) to further facilitate gas escape. They are non-inflammable, unbreakable, and resistant to moderately high temps.
Element comprises two plastics casings in which are arranged negative electrodes separated from the positive electrode by a diapragm. Casing parts adjacent to the negative electrodes are cylindrical and, after being secured, the element becomes cylindrical.    More specifically the casings have grooves containing hoops for securing the element. Galvanic element is obtained having a large capacity and long life. Use relates to transistor radios, pocket torches, electrical apparatus etc.
Microporous separator for storage battery, is formed by mixing secondary porous particles of polyvinyl chloride with fine compact spheres of polyvinyl chloride and sintering the mixture. The secondary porous particles are formed by coagulation of fine particles of diameter 0.5-5 microns, and have a particle size of 10-100 microns. The compact spherical particles have particle size of 10-80 microns.    The compact spheres improve the mechanical strength of the separator with little reduction of porosity of separator.    The two kinds of polyvinyl chloride powder are blended by means of a mild mixer such as ribbon blender so as not to disintegrate said secondary porous particles.
Dry cell manufacture comprises inserting foamed elastic resin plate absorbing an electrolyte or an electrolyte soaker, comprising porous materials, into a Zn anode can; then inserting a cathode depolariser mix in this and liberating electrolyte from the soaker; arranging a paper between the cathode depolariser mix paste and a Zn anode can. The paste is gelled by the liberated electrolyte. The resin plate may be of polyurethane, polystyrene, foamed polyvinyl chloride etc. The electrolyte-soaker may be of cotton fibre, glass wool, etc. The cathode depolariser mix is in a wrapping paper comprising Kraft paper, and is applied by starch, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, etc. The cathode mix paper between the cathode depolariser mix and Zn can be moistened, and simultaneously the paste which is applied on the cathode mix wrapping paper is gelled by the liberated electrolyte, making a unit cell.
Lead chloride battery anode contains as anode active material a mixture of powdered lead chloride and emulsion or latex of binder. The battery cathode is formed from Mg or its alloys, and the electrolyte contains water or seawater or aqueous soln. etc. The anode material contng. powdered lead chloride and emulsion or latex, gives higher mechanical strength to pole and higher availability than prior anode active materials. The binder latex or emulsion comprises corpuscules &lt;1/1000 mm. in diameter, of resin or natural or synthetic rubber dispersed in water or other dispersants. The binder is e.g. natural rubber latex or nitrile gum, or styrene gum or polychloroprene etc.
Electrodes.. R6A. for acid lead accumulators are produced by applying onto a grid the active mass and densifying it e.g., by rolling. The process is improved by embossing the active mass during the rolling by means of a fabric. The depth of the recesses is 0.2-0.7 mm and the spacing is 0.5 - 1.5 mm. The preferred fabric is betting canvas covered with an embossed polypropylene fabric. By this method the active surface of the electrode is increased without decreasing its thickness.
The ion-exchange resin membrane, disposed between cathode and anode, is a film of a fluorinated copolymer containing pendant sulphonic acid groups. The cell may be a fuel cell or a secondary cell. The membrane is thermally stable up to 250 C and is stable in acid conditions at such temperatures, so permitting fuel cells having membranes and acid electrolytes to be operated at higher efficiency than hitherto.    The resin of the membrane is pref. a copolymer of (A) 3-20 mol. %, pref. 6-15 mol.%, of FO2S(R)nCF=CF2 and (B) 97-80 mol. %, pref. 94-85 mol. %, of CXX' = CF2, the pendant FO2S- groups being converted to HO3S- groups in the copolymer R is -CF(R')CF2O(CFY.CF2O)m - in which R' is F or 1-10C perfluoroalkyl, Y is F, CF3 or H, m is 1, 2 or 3, n is 0 or 1, X is F, Cl, CF3 or H and X' is X or CF3(CF2)a O- where is a 0 or an integer from 1 to 5 . The pref. copolymers are those of trifluorovinyl sulphonic acid and fluorinated ethylenes, particularly ptfe.
Connection is characterised by (a) the cover having a circular opening for the introduction of a cylindrical metal terminal, (b) a circular projection being on the underside of the cover, this projection being provided with a cylindrical face, (c) an annular flange being present on the upper side of the cover around the opening, (d) a tube being present with a sealing inner, outer and upper face, this tube being placed in the circular projection to form a liquid tight connection between the cylindrical face and the outer sealing face of the tube, (e) the cover having a port with an irregular shape which is sealingly supported against the upper force of the tube, and forms an annular cavity when a battery terminal is pushed through the opening, and (f) a curable material being poured into the annular cavity to form a mechanical connection between the irregular part of the cover and the curable material, as well as a connection between the terminal and the curable material.
The electrolytic conductivity of a H2O-cellulose ether (esp. Me cellulose) in contact with a 30-45% by wt. aqueous solution of LiOH, NaOH, KOH, RbOH, CsOH or Me4NOH (solution A) is increased by first equilibrating it in an aqueous solution of the same hydroxide having alower concentration than solution A but higher than that at which the membrane is soluble in the solution.    The treated membranes are used as separators in Ag-Zn alkaline cells, and do not revert to their high resistance state in concentrated alkaline electrolytes, they are also resistant to oxidation by Ag2O.
The membranes are oxidation resistant and highly conductive and are made by (a) copolymerising an alkyl (C = 1-8, pref. 1-4) methyacrylate (I) with 10-60 (pref. 15-50) mole per cent of an alkyl (C = 1-8, pref. 1-4) ester (II) of an alpha-beta unsat. acid (pref. acrylic) which is more easily hydrolysed than (I); (b) saponification of the units of (II) whilst leaving the units of (I) unaffected; (c) partial or complete neutralisation of the copolymer acid to yield flexible membrane material.    The above process permits the formation of polymer having a controllable range of polarity and a greater proportion of a carboxylate groups than by copolymerisation of methacrylate ester and acrylic acid. The membranes can be used in silver-zinc, silver-cadmium and other similar alkaline cells.
Powdered methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymer is added to an anode composition in order to adsorb ammonia gas evolved during the discharge, suppress the increase of gas pressure in the battery and the formation of resistant substances resulting in improvement in the discharge performance.
Cell is formed by coating the surface of anode composition with a film of ion-permeable and anti-chemical substance and coating a mixture of fibre powder and binder to form a layer for maintaining the liquid electrolyte.    Fibres of cotton, pulp, nylon, vinylon, vinyl-acrylonitrile copolymer are used. The separator is formed in simplified manufacture, with a reduction in cost and improvement in battery performance.
Battery of extended life is obtd. by using a gas electrode fixed with more than two adhesives having different expansion coefficients, which have middle values between that of the electrode and the electrode frame, to prevent the formation of cracks between the electrode and the frame.
Batteries (accumulators) having moulded Pb bridges between adjacent cells, made by insulating the electrode plates complete with bridges into a moulded (polypropylene) battery casing having openings set into the tops of the partition walls to accept the electrode bridges. A seal is formed between the bridges and the partitions by powder spraying a compatible resin into the crevices around the bridge. Pref. the partition walls surrounding the window are extra thick and the window faces have a 'U' or 'V' groove which allows the material to spread and seal about a bridge which is a press fit.    Use is especially in the construction of 6 or 12 volt batteries for vehicles.
A roll-type electrode made of a microporous foil containing a catalyst which contains a liquid electrolyte with a counter electrode is kept by a porous fibre material at a distance from an external microporous sheath which is less wettable by the electrolyte than the other electrode and to which the atmospheric oxygen has access.    The catalyst is pref. a mixture of carbon and a hydrophobic plastic. The external sheath pref. consists almost exclusively of the same plastic. The electrolyte is pref. potassium hydroxide.
The electrochemically active powder, with an admixture of conductive inert powder, is treated with the solution of an electrolyte-resistant, cold weldable polymer in a solvent. The solvent is then removed. After comminution of the paste a greater quantity of conductive inert powder material is added and the whole is pressed on an electrically conductive base plate to form an electrode.    The electrochemically active material is pref. an oxide or a hydrated oxide of nickel, cobalt, cadmium, iron, zinc or silver or of a mixture of them.
Lead acid storage batteries.. B6A. comprises a lead peroxide positive electrode and a sponge metallic lead negative electrode and houses an electrolyte precursor comprising H2SO4 gelled with BPO4. addition of water dissolves the gel to form electrolyte in situ and activate the battery.    The battery may be stored in a dry condition and activated merely by the addition of water. It requires no external source of H2SO4 electrolyte and delivers its charge shortly after activation.    Concentrated sulphuric acid solution of boric acid or boric anhydride is mixed with a concentrated sulphuric acid solution of phosphoric acid or phosphoric anhydride to form a gel comprising 1 mole BPO4 to 40-200 moles H2SO4.
Battery comprises a casing, having a cover, within which is a Zn anode, an activated C cathode and an alkaline electrolyte. The sheet, in contact with the electrolyte, comprises 75-95% by weight of colloidal lime (I) particles and 5-25% of dispersed cellulose fibres (II) bonded together with an organic binder (III), insoluble in the electrolyte, present at 0.5-2.5% of (I).    Pref. (III) is hydroxeethylcellulose insolublised by aldehyde or methylol treatment. (III) is added to a slurry of (I) and (II), which is preferably bleached sulphite obtained by beating dry fibres with water, and draining excess water, to increase its strength and is cast into thin porous sheets. Several sheets are preferably arranged in vertical layers in a plane at right angles with the active surface of the anode.
Reverse-electrode dry-battery has positive electrode rod-collector formed by a sealed, cylindrical metal container which has a carbon loaded thermoplastic layer on inner face. A negative-zinc electrodes surrounded by a paste and ion-penetrating polyvinyl-alcohol barrier is immersed in a cathode-substance. The zinc strip is in electrical contact with lower base-plate. A cell with a high discharge-rate is formed.
The electrode has a sintered body with a coating consisting of a powdery material in a binding agent, and exerts no catalytic action on the fuel of the cell.    The sintered body is mainly of nickel with the addition of carbon or silver etc., and the coating is carbon powder, graphite powder, nickel oxide powder, aluminium oxide powder and a synthetic resin. The binder may be a fluorocarbon resin. The coating is designed to prevent leakage of the electrolyte from the cell into the gas.
Fuel cell reactant is supplied via cut-off valve formed by pipe port surrounded by a sleeve which shrinks with temperature-rise.    One end of the sleeve may be secured to the pipe and the other end may be arranged, on shrinking, to stick to the pipe (e.g. by using a heat-sensitive synthetic-resin adhesive). The sleeve may be of listed (irradiated resinous or rubbery) materials. The valve may include a catalyst coating which urges any reactants combustion to occur near the sleeve.
An unformed battery plate for use in lead-acid batteries comprise a perforated grid sheet with a porous structure adhered to it. The porous structure contains lead oxide, a foam producing agent and foam stabilising agent, and a network of plastics material throughout the porous structure to maintain the low density during mechanical manipulation. The plastics material is a vinyl resin from the group containing polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl acetate. The density of the porous structure falls within the range 1.89 gms./ml. to 0.02 gms./ml.
The terminal comprises a conductive sheet of metal which is folded so that it has a plurality of projections on one surface and corresponding troughs on the other. A contact tag, is held in one of the troughs and arranged to project through the insulating casing of a compacted powder electrode, the powder being compacted firmly around the projections on the terminal for improved contact. A second similar terminal is arranged at the other end of the housing.
The conductive particles may be either degassed granular carbon or oxygen-free nickel powder. The binder constitutes between 5 and 20% of the volume of the mixture and comprises either particles of polyethylene, softened and mixed with the lithium and conductive particles, CMC applied as a porous adhesive coating over the mixture. The molar ratio of the particles of conductive material to lithium particles is at least 1 to 9.    The electrode is for use in a non-aqueous rechargeable battery.
Separator for use in high energy density batteries for air-borne systems, portable tools, television, radio and record players, engine starting and portable X-ray units comprises a mat of fibrous potassium titanate. This alone tends to deteriorate particularly in secondary batteries and so it is advantageously strengthened by an organic compound such as TFE polymer. This may either be bonded with the potassium titanate or pressed in the form of microporous sheets against opposing sides of a thin membrane of the inorganic mat.    Batteries containing these compound separators operate efficiently over a number of discharge-charge cycles even at temperatures greater than 100 degrees C.
The catalystic material of the electrode contains 5-90 wt.% of a mixture of two metals of the group IB of the Periodic Table, 5-70 wt.% mercury and 0-10wt.% of Rh, Ru, Pd, Os, Ir or Pt.    A bonding medium such as finely dispersed PTFe can be mixed with the catalyst and be applied to the surface of a foil of a hydrophobic polymer such as a fluorocarbon polymer to act as the cathode.
Lead-acid cell which gives off oxygen and hydrogen during charging, collects the gases and causes them to recombine to form water which flows back into the cell.    The cell is constructed with a gas space above the tops of the cell plates and a housing disposed e.g. in this gas space contains the recombiner elements. The housing is provided with a valve in its lower wall, the valve being operable from outside the cell and when open permits gases in the gas space of the cell to come in contact with a heated catalyst which is effective to cause the gases to recombine with the resulting water flowing back into the cell through the valve.
Cell employs a unit contained in a housing disposed in a gas space above the top of the cell plates containing a heated catalyst and a flash preventing material, and has the unit constructed to cause re-circulation of uncombined gases in the housing.    The catalyst may consist of a heated wire or a carbon resistor carrying palladinised alumina pellets and is surrounded by a layer of beads or fine rod elements etc., or may have an associated gas permeable liquid impermeable membrane to act as a flash preventing system.
Small amounts of one or more carbides of Ti, V, Nb or Ta are added to the tungsten carbide used as catalyst in hydrogen electrodes for fuel cells having acid electrolytes. Preferably 0.01 to 2% moles of the carbides are added; optimum amounts vary with the metal. In particular 0.01 to 0.5% moles of TiC is added.    The additives improve the activity of the tungsten carbide and reduce the variations in performance of different preparations of electrodes. The construction of the electrode includes a layer of a porous hydrophobic polymer such as cellular polytetrafluoroethylene.
Small amounts of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni or Cu are added to the tungsten carbide used as catalyst in a hydrogen electrode for fuel cells having acidic electrolytes. Pref. 0.01 to 2% is added; optimum amounts vary with the metal. In particular 0.05 to 0.5%, esp. 0.1%, is added of Fe, Co, Cu or esp. Ni.    The addition improves the activity of the tungsten carbide and reduces the variations in performance of different preparations of electrodes. The construction of the electrode includes a layer of a porous hydrophobic polymer such as cellular polytetrafluoroethylene.    Preparation is by heating the powdered metals with the stoichiometric amount of carbon at 700-1600 degrees C in H2.
A porous metallic core is surrounded by a perforated inner layer of impermeable, hydrophylic material, and an outer layer of hydrophylic, dimensionally stable material, preferably as a sealed sleeve.    Object: to provide a negative electrode which is easily replaced mechanically in metal/air cells, which prevents migration of the reactive substance, is capable of holding sufficient electrolyte to ensure complete discharge.
Electrode made by the process described in parent patent FR 1519729, comprising a solid organic semiconductor material (I) mounted between a metallic conductor (II) and an aqs. electrolytic soln. (III).    Suitable materials (I) are oxidation products of aniline or aromatic amines, polynuclear amines, etc; or polymers obtained by reaction of hydroxyquinones and aromatic acid anhydrides; condensation products of resorcinol and an aromatic acid dianhydride, etc.; polyhydrazones and polyazines obt. by polycondensation of hydrazine with a carbonyl derivative; polymers obt. by polycondensation of an aromatic amine and a quinone; chloraniline/aromatic diamine condensation products; products; products obt. by pyrolysis of tetraiodopyrrole, triiodoimidazole and tetraiodoimidazole; and diazo compounds prepd. from benzidine and aminonaphthosulphonic acid-2,8,6.    The electrodes are esp. useful in battery manufacture.
Dry battery has at least one post at one of its ends.    Insulating protective cap made of a thin flexible skin is mounted on the post and affixed to the periphery of the outside end of the battery. the cap is made of organic ductile material, polyethylene being an example.    Advantage is that the cap adheres around the peripheral flange of the battery and can be affixed thereto by welding or heat, that is to say fused together or fixed with an adhesive. Adhesives having a vinyl base are recommended.    Use relates in particular to protecting batteries frequently sold in vending machines or a dispenser made available to the purchaser.
Fuel cell for electrochemical generation of electricity... Comprises a fuel electrode pref. of palladium - silver alloy, an oxidant electrode, an electrolyte, pref. a 30% aq. solution of KOH, separating the electrodes and a headspace above the electrlyte. A sleeve-like protective element pref. of polyletrafluoroethylene, covers the fuel electrode such that an air-electrolyte electrode interface does not occur. Sealing off the fuel electrode from contact with the air-electrolyte interface prevents corrosion of the fuel electrode during shut-down and cool-down periods.
Mould features a series of retractable pins which during the initial 65-85% of mould fill engage and locate the ends of the mould cores which define the partition walls: after the partition cavities contain sufficient (stiffening) melt to prevent subsequent core deflection, the pins are withdrawn to allow the mould base cavity to be completely filled. By maintaining core alignment parallel and normal to the moulding base, ejection of deen drawn thin wall mouldings (battery casings) becomes easy and reliable, and the draught angle of the partitions can be reduced if desired to increase cell capacities.
Fuel cell electrodes in which gas distribution channels are moulded into the porous fluoropolymer (PTE) core for removal of anodic and cathodic gases uniformly and reliably.
Storage battery material includes fibres obtained by adding less than 5% (referred to the weight of resin) of organic or inorganic antimony compound to a solution of copolymer resin of acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride and subjecting the resulting mixture to the spinning, stretching and heat-treatment.
A lead storage battery which can prevent the separation of active substance without use of glass mat using a pressure to prevent the separation. Glass fibers are added in a solution of gelatin-phenol resin and a plate is dipped in the solution and dried to form a coat on the surface of the plate.
Flat dry cell battery has a flat central metallic anode protected by a bibulous covering from a battery mix surrounding the anode, a first carbon yarn containing envelope surrounding the mix, a second moisture and gas impervious envelope surrounding the first and an external negative terminal connected to the anode and an exernal positive terminal connected to the first envelope.    Batteries do not suffer from corrosion swelling, and drying out and separation of elements due to the internal generation of hydrogen.
Resilient non-metallic conductive electrode of a PVC base material has the shape of a suction cup with a button projection on which a ring-shaped end of a conductor engages or is formed by a band, the ends of which are secured by snap connectors. The surface of the electrodes may be porous or non-porous.
Electrodes for chlorine alkali electroysis cells give improved current density. They are partly perforated metal sheets made of Ti or its alloy and are connected to least of well-conductive metal, esp. Cu or Al, which are protected against corrosion by plastic or an elastomer.    The active surfaces of the electrodes are at least partly plated with a noble metal or alloy pref Pt.    In an example an electrode of Ti has 2 grids with parallel slots of 1.2 cm gauge sheet. NaCl solns. was electrolysed with this anode in a Cl- alkali cell with a Hg cathode at 3.8V and 120A/dm2.
Electrode is esp. of Zn and gives appreciably longer life at high discharge currents. A circumferential marginal zone of the electrode is provided with a greater mass of active material per unit volume than the rest of the electrode.
Porous silver-containing catalyst electrodes for fuel cells are prepd. by forming a first layer containing an admixture of powdered silver cabonate, a powdered, hydrophobic, fluorine-containing synthetic plastics resin and a powdered water-soluble salt, and applying to the first layer a second layer consisting of the same or a different powdered hydrophobic fluorine-containing synthetic plastics resin or a mixture of such a resin with a water-soluble salt. The two layer system is heated and pressure applied to sinter the resin to form a coherent plastics skeleton. The silver carbonate present is then reduced to metallic silver and the water-soluble salt leached out to leave a porour structure.    First layer usually contains, by volume, 10-50% of silver carbonate and 15-50% of the fluorine-containing resin, which may be polytetrafluoroethylene or polytrifluorochloroethylene. Preferably an additional layer is formed under the first layer, the additional layer containing a mixture of powdered silver carbonate and the same or different powdered fluorine-containing resin, the volume ratios of the silver carbonate to the resin in the two layers being different. The layer(s) containing silver carbonate may also contain an electrically conductive material such as powdered nickel.
Electric batteries consisting of an alkali metal superoxide cathode separated from a consumable anode by an ion-permeable well, and an alkaline electrolyte in contact with the anode and cathode. The batteries have high energy/weight and energy/volume ratios. Preferably, the cathode is KO2 or NaO2, the anode is Al, the electrolyte is an aqueous alkali hydroxide, and the ion permeable wall is made from PTFE-coated stainless steel screen.
High energy density electric batteries in which (1) the cathode is a polymeric or non-polymeric organic nitrate or nitrite mixed with, or coated on, a conductive material, (2) the anode is Li, Mg or Zn, and (3) the electrolyte is a solution of an inorganic salt of the anode metal. Preferably, the cathode material is polyvinyl or cellulose nitrate or nitrate, and the electrolyte is a solution of an Li salt in an aprotic solvent, or a solution of a Zn or Mg salt in H2O or liquid NH3.
Atmospheric oxygen can enter, and gases escape from the cell which is generally a leak-proof unit. A subassembly consists of a sealing ring of polyethylene, or similar plastics material, carrying a carbon anode, a layer of absorbent material, such as a paper, a metal cap and a cover sheet of a thermoplastic material which may be the same as that forming the sealing ring. The cover sheet is sealed to the ring and the assembly is mounted in a metal cup assembly which holds a quantity of electrolyte. The top of an outer metal cup of the assembly is sealed to the sealing ring with the passage of gas permitted through slits in the sealing ring and a ring of absorbent cellulose material around the lower part of the sealing ring.
Vulcanisable composition suitable for use as impact and acid resistant storage battery casings. Gl-. In a composition based on a styrene/dialkene copolymer, the weight ratio of dialkene:styrene being greater than 4:1, and a neutral filler and a vulcanising agent. More specifically 1,3-butadiene is used with styrene in a weight ratio greater than 9:1 pref. 19:1, the filler being ground coal in an amount of at least 300 pts. (pref. 700 pts) by weight/100 pts. polymer. Up to 50 pts. by weight of a mixture of aromatic and paraffinic oils may be admixed to the composition to improve its characteristics.
A fuel cell comprises compartments (I) and (II). Fluid fuel is introduced to (I) and oxidizing gas to (II). A central reactor comprises at least two electrolyte permeable electrodes (anode and cathode), a catalyst free electrolyte between and in contact with them. Electrolyte is charged to (I) and (II) and fuel and gas to each respective compartment. At least one electrode has a wire screen impermeable to catalyst particles of &gt;104 microns. Solids in electrolyte comprises porous C impregnated with metal. Upper part of (I) is larger than the lower part and unreacted fuel is continuously withdrawn from upper and recycled to lower section.
Fuel cells are fed with fuels one of which is gaseous, and in them an electrolyte catalyst is circulated. The suspension in each of the generator components fed by a gaseous reagent is circulated parallel to the porous membrane which lets through ions from that compartment to another. The collecting electrode is formed by a grid, pref. folded in a chicane between the porous membrane and a partition. It is pref. parallel to the porous membrane, to form a series of successive barriers, each of which extends across the space formed between the membrane and the partition.
Powdered alkali borohydrides, useful in fuel batteries, are converted to paste by addition of a liquid. The preferred liquid is paraffin or concentrated alkali hydroxide solution, and used in a smaller volume than that of the borohydride. The process makes the material readily transportable.
Fuel cell uses as electrolyte an alkali metal vanadate having a composition in the range XVO3 to X3VO4 where X is Na and/or Li. Preferably the electrolyte comprises an eutectic mixture of sodium metavanadate, sodium orthovanadate and lithium metavanadate.
Pressure transmission is temporarily established away from the electrode and between the electrolyte and the gas, which is at a higher pressure than the electrode during absence of pressure transmission. This raises the hydrostatic pressure of the electrolyte at the electrode, so that the electrolyte enters the electrode pores. Specifically pressure transmission is established by an electro-magnetically operated valve. Apparatus is also described.
This cell comprises an electrode, which is immersed in a pool of electrolyte, and a tank which receives and dispenses an electrolyte and a liquid reactant. An electrically conductive element is a situ for the electro chemical reaction of the reactant. Devices reduce the tank pressure below that outside. Other devices permit electrolytic to feed from the pool to the tank, when the cell discharges, to buoy the reactant up in the tank and a counter electrode which is adjacent to the electrically conductive element. Specif. a rotally reversible lithium fuel electrode is provided.
The battery has at least two electrodes of opposite polarity, an electrolyte, sealing and pressure relief devices. The latter comprises a fuel cell connected to the battery outside the battery electrolyte. The fuel cell has a first electrode, a regenerable electrode and an ion conducting material between the two. The first electrode of the fuel cell is connected to the interior of the battery for passage of gas from the battery to the electrode. The regenerable electrode is connected via the electrolyte to one of the battery electrodes, and the two are electrically connected outside the battery to form an electrical circuit through the fuel cell and battery.
This fuel cell comprises electrodes which are immersed in an electrolyte chamber. A liquid impervious receptacle. Separate from the electrolyte chamber contains a solid synthetic plastic cellular material. This material is connected to the electrolyte chamber, to take up the increase of electrolyte volume due to the formation of liquid reaction products, and contacts the electrodes by the electrolyte. A gas pipe for inflow or outflow controls the gas pressure in the receptacle and the increase in electrolyte volume.
Reactor system does not produce solid deposits in the chamber used to prepare the liquid feed-fuel for ignition. An ultrasonic atomiser receives the feed-fuel which it discharges in droplet form through the outlet. A device admixes air with the droplets.    A device admixes the vaporised feed-fuel to produce a swirling mixture which is then fed into the reactor combustion zone.
A sodium amalgam fuel cell contains sodium amalgam as a negative reducer, oxygen or air as a positive oxider and potassium hydroxide as an electrolyte. Forming articles of metallic sodium are used as a sodium supply source of sodium amalgam and a coating of high molecular compound such as solid paraffin is formed on the forming articles to prevent formation of an oxide coating.
Fuel cell contains sodium amalgam as a negative reducer, oxygen or air as a positive oxider and potassium hydroxide as an electrolyte. When sodium is supplied to the low concentration sodium amalgam exhausted from a battery cell due to discharge, sodium amalgam of high concentration is resupplied to the battery cell. At least two sodium amalgam regenerators are used and connected to a sodium storage container, each sodium amalgam regenerator is connected one by one with suitable pipes and the concentration of the sodium amalgam is measured at the output portion of the sodium amalgam regenerator whereby the sodium supply rate to the sodium amalgam regenerator is controlled in accordance with the measured concentration.
Control method for the feed current of the rectifier in a fuel cell system consists of measuring the current produced for the fuel cell and the rectifier temperature; the feed current is controlled as a function of the fuel cell current. The feed current is diverted as a function of the temperature of the rectifier, and the response speeds of the current control and the temperature bias of the rectifier are used to regulate the fuel use.
An energy conversion device, e.g. primary or secondary battery, thermo-electric generator, etc., comprises an anode and a cathode with anodic and cathodic reaction zone. A solid electrolyte, positioned between these zones, consists of a major proportion (by wt.) of Al and oxygen ions. There is a minor metal proportion with valency less than 2, pref. Li, or Mg, in a crystal lattice combination, and cations, pref. alkali-metal cations, which migrate with respect to the lattice under influence of an electric field.
A fuel cell, has two electrodes of which at least one is a gas diffusion electrode, between them an aqs. electrolyte is contained. The cell has a flow control means for a liquid gas-carrier. This includes a supply line and a gas receiver connected to gas-carrier enclosing a catalytically active electrode layer. Gas pressure rise in the chamber interrupts gas-carrier feed, the gas receiver accommodating gas not immediately consumed. Operation under various load conditions is facilitated. Specifically H2 gas diffusion electrodes are used.
The method of producing asbestos-felt elements consists of (i) impregnating asbestos-felt material with a metallic salt solution, (ii) drying the resulting product, (iii) heating the product in a controlled atmosphere to dissociate the metallic salt leaving the metallic compound, and (iv) compression moulding while simultaneously heating the asbestos felt and metallic compound in a controlled atmos. to form the material into sealing or filter elements. The products can be used at various working temps and have predetermined selected physical and chemical properties.
A raw material supply chamber and a waste material chamber are separated by a gas generating chamber having a coarse pored inner layer charged by a catalyst. Catalytically inactive fine pored surfaces face the raw material and waste material chambers. A first sub-chamber faces the gas generating chamber along its length, and a second sub-chamber, having a greater volume than the first, is connected to the first by a conduit with narrow cross-section. A pressure differential is created between the raw material supply chamber and the waste material chamber by a connection between a gas line, connected to the coarse pored layer, and the second sub-chamber.
The battery comprises one or more primary electrical cells which are connected to a D.C. electric motor, supplied with compressed air, and consist of an electrolyte, a consumable anode electrode, and a cathode electrode. The cathode electrode comprises an air container through which air circulates to form an air electrode cathode. Both electrodes are supported in a container. Pref. the anode is Mg, Zn, Al, or their alloys.
The parts of the fuel cell contacting the electrolyte consist if an iron-based alloy containing 3-6.5 wt. % aluminium. Spec. the alloy also contains 10-25 wt. % chromium.
(1) Fuel cell electrode comprising a mixture of catalysts and gas absorbing substances, a current collector and a binder including a noble metal or alloy and a mixture of chromic and tungstic oxides, dispersed on a carbon or boron carbide or boron containing carbon support. (2) Fuel cell using the above electrode as cathode together with an acid electrolyte, a fuel containing CO and an anode containing catalysts and gas adsorbers a current collector and a binder.    The binder is PTFE. The noble metal is Pt or an alloy of Pt and Ru. The noble metal serves as the catalyst the oxides as gas absorbents.    A large catalytic surface is exposed using a minimum amount of expensive noble metal.
Reactants, which comprise a fuel and an oxidant and one of which can be electrolysed at a first voltage when in solution with an electrolyte electrolysable at a second voltage, are supplied to a fuel cell. The solution is circulated and recirculated through the cell and the reactant is electrolysed by detector electrodes immersed in the liquid. The electrodes are held at a constant current density according to the selected reactant concentration, and any shift in their voltage detected. Reactant is added to the solution in response to voltage shift.
A stream of hot fluid is introduced into a cylindrical reaction sub-assembly. An annular chamber containing catalyst fluid is spaced from (and connected to) the sub-assembly to form a passage for the hot fluid in indirect heat exchange relation with the catalyst. Reformable fuel and steam are contacted with the catalyst and the reaction products, including free hydrogen, received. A boiler sub-assembly outside the reaction sub-assembly comprises a water reservoir spaced from the chamber for passage of the hot fluid in indirect heat exchange with the water to produce steam, which is directed into the reaction sub-assembly.
The carbonate-containing electrolyte is contacted with solid sodium and/or potassium hydroxide. The carbonate has a poor solubility in satd. alkaline solns. and is precipitated out. The method can be carried out in the presence of methanol.    Pref. the electrolyte passes through a conduit from the fuel cell to a vessel containing the solid hydroxide. It is then mixed with water and fuel, and passed back into the fuel cell.
Cell has a consumable anode, a micro-porous membrane and an inlet for an oxidant gas, such as air. The cathode forms a chamber into which the oxidant gas is fed and which is separated from the electrolyte by the membrane whilst the anode is formed from a pair of plates of aluminium, zinc, magnesium or alloys of one or more of such metals etc. The membrane is provided with an electrically conductive layer and a layer of a catalytic material on its surface facing the cathode chamber.
Compn have an ionic conductivity greater than that of silver iodide and have formulae QAgnIn+1, where n is 3-39 inclusive, pref. 4-9, and Q is an organic ammonium cation having an ionic value of 30-85 A. Pref Q is an alkyl substd. quaternary ammonium cation and is e.g. N(CH3)2(C2H5)2AgnIn+1 where n is 4-9.
Alumina and/or magnesia ceramics are bonded together by (a) forming a mixt of Al and Zn metals in the weight ratio 95:5 to 85-15 (b) pressing this at is approx. 10000 psi to form a pellet conforming in area to the parts to be bonded and (c) placing the pellet between the two ceramic parts to be joined and heating at 900-1200 degrees C in an oxidising atmos.    The bond has an electrical resistance of is approx. 1 Mw-cm.
The redox fuel cell contains a liquid electrolyte including more than two redox couples in the electrolyte with the equilibrium potentials of each redox couple not more than 0.8v apart from another redox couple in the electrolyte. The electrolyte has uniform overall composition in the anolyte and catholyte chambers, and a simple separator between the chambers to limit mixing of analyte and catholyte. The electrolyte has also an external anolyte supply of electrolyte with the redox couples in a prereduced form and an external catholyte supply of electrolyte with the redox couples in a preoxidised form.
Gaseous reactant is supplied to the electrode of the cell by dissolving the reactant, in pressurised from, in a carrier electrolyte at least 100 atm. The pressure is relieved from the electrolyte to supersaturate it with the reactant, and the electrolyte is then circulated past the electrode. The carrier is pref. an aqueous soln of potassium hydroxide, and the reactant contains hydrogen, or more partic oxygen.
The separator has a porous membrane of a solid solution consisting of (% by wt.) Cr2O3, about 30 - 50; Al2O3, about 13-30; the total of these elements being 60% Fe2O3, 2-20 and MgO about 10 - 20. The solution pref. also contains about 3 - 6% SiO2 and CaO in an amount is not &gt; about 1% by wt. of the mixture and is pref. formed from natural chromite.
A cell group consists of several elementary cells connected longitudinally in parallel, each elementary cell having terminals thereon and thereunder; the electrolyte pressure of each elementary cell is constantly controlled; the cell group is connected in series in the transverse direction by means of an isolation valve to the fuel supplying pipe of the uppermost elementary cell and to the fuel discharging pipe of the undermost elementary cell.
The fuel cell gp. comprises a series of elementary cells connected longitudinally in parallel. The electrolyte is confined at a defined static pressure and fuel is fed simultaneously equally to each cell.
A fuel cell supplied a ribbon shaped fuel metal such as zinc, aluminium has a mercury reservoir at the bottom of the cell; the ribbon shaped fuel metal is passed into the cell after the surface is amalgamated through the mercury reservoir.
A fuel cell has a liquid reactant circulating system having a distributor-cum-insulating valve, supplying the reactants to a plurality of unit cells. The distributor allows the liquid to flow through narrow nozzles intermittently, under a constant pressure, by opening and closing a valve at the upstream side of the distributor, which is operated by a fluid pressure detector in the distributor. A control and secondary valves at the downstream side of the insulating chambers are operated to counterbalance the effect of the first valves.
Fuel cell comprises: a distributor for supplying the liquid reactants to a plurality of unit cells, and a fluid pressure detector controller for operating a valve at the inlet of the distributor. The valve closes under a set pressure, and supplies the reactants intermittently to each unit cell from a nozzle.
Fuel cell comprises; oxidation electrodes employing oxygen gas fuel electrodes employing activated fuel, separators disposed between the oxidation electrodes and the fuel electrodes, and electrolyte chambers between the oxidation electrodes and the separators. The electrolyte chambers are connected to an electrolyte storage tank outside the fuel cell.
Lattice-type electrode for electrolysis cells, fuel cells, batteries, etc. Electrode comprises a three-dimensional lattice structure formed by thin metallised carbonaceous filaments connected together to form cells open at all faces. Filaments may be prepd. by treating polyurethane foam by pyrolysis in an oven or furnace and then plating it with nickel, zinc, cadnium, lead, copper silver or platinum.
Fuel gas, e.g. oxygen or hydrogen, may be generated by reaction between a liquid and a solid, e.g. KOH and Al metal, at rates depending on the consumption of the gas, by containing the liquid in a gas tight reservoir linked to a reaction vessel in which the solid is arranged vertically and from which the gas is drawn. The liquid flows into or out of the reaction chamber, covering more or less of the solid, as the pressure differential between the two compartments changes.
An anodic and a cathodic cell are separated by an electrically conductive membrane. An electrode is placed in each cell to lead away the current produced by reaction of the chemical substances in both cells. A conductive liquid is present in each cell. In at least one of the cells, a liquid is circulated which is inert to the cell elements and the electrode. This powdered, liquid or gaseous chemical substance which will react chemically with a second solid or liquid chemical in the other cell.
The unit comprises a first propulsion unit of an electric motor supplied from a fuel cell arrangement and a second, high power unit of a Stirling Engine or steam turbine whose fuel is derived from hydroaromatic hydrocarbons which enable aromatic hydrocarbons to be supplied to the combustion chamber of the second propulsion unit. This process enables the fuel weight and volume to be reduced.
The hydrogen electrode has a large area of a non precious metal as catalyst whilst the oxygen electrode contains a material which enables hydrogen to be used electro-chemically as a catalyst. Initially both electrodes are supplied with hydrogen. As soon as the hydrogen e.m.f. through the oxygen electrodes has built up, the two electrodes are short circuited externally until the hydrogen electrode has risen to the reversible hydrogen potential. The hydrogen supply is then cut off from the oxygen electrode, which after flushing with air is finally connected to the oxygen feed. The hydrogen activator is Raney nickel, iron or cobalt and the electrode support for the oxygen electrode contains carbonyl nickel and/or iron.
The fuel cell of the pressure-relief arrangement is positioned outside the electrolyte, and has a pair of electrodes with an ion conductor between them. Gas is passed from the battery to one of the electrodes, the battery being the primary current producer. Pref. the gas is passed along a conduit, and the battery electrodes are made of Ag and Zn.    Batteries are also used for power operation in airborne systems.
Method utilises a device having a chamber with an orifice to admit the liquid to be displaced connected to an ascending tube having an entry for gas which passes continuously through a flow control vavle and displaces the liquid, the tube diameter being less than that of the entering gas bubbles. The tube is pref formed from a material not wetted by the liquid to be displaced, such as polytetrafluoroethylene. The device employs the energy of compression of the gases used to sweep the electrodes, to displace the electrolyte.
Device for protection against corrosion in the electrolytic circuit of an electrochemical element, e.g., an accumulator or exhaustible battery has at least one negative electrode. Another electrode is placed in the electrolytic circuit near that of the pieces to be protected, which are subject to corrosion from a potential more positive than the hydrogen potential. It has the same electrochemical characteristics as the negative electrode, or a hydrogen diffusion electrode. The other electrode is connected with a feed time and is electroplated to the piece to be protected.
The edges of the diaphragms are bonded to each other and to the separators by a bonding medium. Several cells are stacked to form a battery and any still open electrolyte spaces are filled with a bonding medium containing a filler such as asbestos powder or a hardened epoxy resin powder. Pockets of asbestos paper are pulled over the terminals before encapsulation. The bonding medium is pref. an epoxy resin.
A vehicle frame structure, such as an aircraft wing, defines a fuel cell which is subdivided into a number of units each provided with self-sealing walls made from a central core layer, adapted to sweel upon contact with a hydrocarbon fuel, and outer layers or coatings impermeable to the fuel. The core can be foamed natural rubber and the outer layers of nitrile rubber which extends over the edges of the core. Ships, air-cushion vehicles and land or amphibious craft are other applictions.
Liquid electrolyte contacts one face of at least one porous diaphragm through which water from it diffuses only as vapour in sufficient quantity to remove the loss heat. The evaporated diffused water is condensed on a cooled surface opposite and adjacent the other side of the diaphragm(s). Water from the surface is delivered to the electrolyte or discharged via a pressure lock as necessary to keep its concentration in a preset range.
Osmium tetroxide is dissolved in pure water at ambient temps. in the proportion 1 gm. to 100 ml of water. Hydrogen or hydrogen/inert gas mixture is bubbled through the soln. to draw off gaseous stream contg. osmium tetroxide, water vapour and H2 or H2/inert gas. The gas stream is contacted with the substrate body at 500 degrees C. A rate of deposition of about 0.05 mu min-1 is obtainable. The above method of depositing osmium is applicable or cathode coatings, in fuel cells, in semiconductor devices and for chemical catalysts.
The cell has an ion-exchange membrane of bonded laminate, whose mobile ions are of the same type. Adjacent laminae have electrolytically conductive interfaces, and electrodes are mounted adjacent to the first and second faces of the membrane. Fuel and oxidant is supplied separately to the first and second faces. Pref. the electrolytically conductor means is ion exchange adhesive.
The matrix consists of a porous material such as fibreglass paper or asbestos. The outer periphery of this matrix is impregnated with a plastic material that is less compressible than the matrix. The plastic is chlorotrifluoroethylene or a copolymer with vinylidene fluoride.
Cells are assembled as a stack and can be interconnected as required in order to produce the required power. Each cell has a thin flexible moulded frame including a matrix for the electrolyte which is surrounded by a non-conductive porous frame containing a dielectric binder. The cathode and anode are on opposite sides of the matrix and each consists of a screen substrate coated with a suitable catalyst, the edge being free of the latter. The electrode frames and the matrix are bonded together to form the assembly frame. Pref. each electrode consists of two fibrous sheets impregnated with a dielectric binder.
Electrochemical fuel cell system in which one or more of the reactants is a liquid has a combined electrode and reactant transporting arrangement which conducts a liquid from a remote storage region to the cell. The reactant is continuously supplied from a reservoir by capillary action to a porous portion of the cell at which it supports the liquid at a distance from the other electrode and serves as the situs of the reaction interface between the reactant and the electrolyte. A porous, wick-like, reactant-wetted member passes from the reactant in the reservoir, one part of the member corresponding to one of the electrodes and supporting all of the reactant in the cell, and a second portion being in contact with the reactant.
Operating process provides separate streams of hydrogen and oxygen to serve, respectively, as fuel and oxidant in a fuel cell system. Condensible vapours are removed from a decomposition product mixture containing hydrogen gas by refrigeration to provide a higher purity hydrogen fraction. The hydrogen and oxygen fractions are fed to their respective electrodes and the two are reacted to provide water vapour and electrical energy. Condensed vapours from the decomposition product mixture are stored in the spaces vacated by the withdrawal of liquid oxygen, and condensed vapours from the oxidation step and water from the cell are stored in the space left by withdrawal of the liquid hydrogen-containing cpd. Pref. the latter is an alcohol, ammonia or hydrazine.
The cell consists of (i) a lithium anode, (ii) a cathode conductor of a material not rapidly dissolved by non aqueous liquid ammonia, (iii) a dual purpose cathode reactant-electrolyte consisting of an aromatic nitro compound soluble in non aqueous liquid ammonia, (iv) the said soluble reducible cathode reactant material consisting of m-dinitrobenzene, (v) electrolyte insoluble (NH4)2SO4 acid distributed uniformly in the porous cathode conductor structure, and (vi) an absorbent electrode separator between the anode and the cathode for separating the electrodes to prevent electronic shorting and for retaining the non aqueous electrolyte-oxidant solution. The process eliminates high anodic corrosion and is directly applicable to reserve ammonia-activated primary cells and high-energy liquid-fed ammonia system fuel cells.
The liquid reactant is delivered through a passage from a reservoir by gravity and reacts at an electrode surface producing a gas and water. The gas is mixed with the diluted reactant to reduce its apparent density and thus is recycled through a second passage to the reservoir. No pump is required. The liquid reactant is pref. hydrazine dissolved in aqueous electrolyte, pref. potassium hydroxide solution, to produce nitrogen and water.
The cells are given a water-proofing fuel plate by using an acid- and water-proof agent.
Reactive substances are converted at 125 - 300 degrees C. by electrodes in metallic, electrically insulated supports and if necessary having holes for inlet and outlet of reagents. Pref. the electrodes are insualted from each other by PTFE sealed joints. The cathode has a fine sintered reinforcing coating of Ni carbonyl, and bulk catalyst held by metal mesh.
Electrochemical cell consists of a plate-shaped frame with a large aperture in which are located a pair of porous electrodes and a matrix containing a electrolyte mounted between them. A fluid-distribution plate overlays one face of the frame and the outer surface of one of the electrodes. Inlet and outlets ports are provided in the fluid-distribution plate. An elongated pre-distribution groove runs along the frame adjacent to the distributor plate the large aperture and the inlet ports. A collecting groove runs from the aperture to the outlet ports. The distributor plate has numerous slots overlaying one of the electrodes and the predistribution groove at one end and the collecting grooves at the other.
In hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell the basic aqueous electrolyte contains as catalyst a compound selected from M3Co(CN)5 (where , is an alkali metal or the ammonium cation), or M3/Co(CN)5/2 (where M' is an alkaline earth metal). Spec. the electrolyte may be KOH solution in concentration 2-50% by wt. and may additionally contain 2-20% by wt. of KCN.
The fuel cell contains an electrolyte consisting of a paste of a powdered alkali metal carbonate mixture and alkali metal aluminate. This aluminate is formed by the reaction of finely-divided reactive alumina with alkali metal carbonate mixture. The alkali metal carbonate mixture is from 40-70% in weight of the electrolyte. The fuel cell operating temperatures are above the melting point of the alkali metal carbonate mixture.
The fuel cell uses a liquid fuel of hydrazine and an aqs. soln. of boron hydride. The supply pipes, enclosed within a box-shaped cathode, have a series of holes which increase in diam. away from the fuel source. After reaction the fuel is exhausted towards the anode.    The system ensures uniform density of fuel within the cathode.
Liquid hydrazine fuel cell has a member interposed between cathode and anode. Spec. the member comprises asbestos and fibres, and contains a catalyst capable of decomposing the fuel (pref. Pt or Pd).    The cell exhibits improved discharge performance and operation.
The fuel cell using an active fuel (e.g. hydrazine, sodium borohydride and formalin) comprises (a) partition disposed between an oxygen electrode and a fuel electrode, (b) an auxiliary electrode inserted between partition and the oxygen electrode, carrying a catalyst for decomposing a fuel; and being electrically connected to the fuel electrode.
A fuel cell, in which a mixed solution of active liquid fuel, such as hydrazine, and liquid electrolyte is fed into a box-type cathode and may leach through the porous cathode to anode, characterized by removing an excess of mixed solution in the cathode through the overflow opening which is situated 5-60 mm. higher than the overflow opening for electrolyte, to the outside of cell.
Fuel cell. A mixture of water and a reformable fuel is reacted to generate a reformate including hydrogen. The hydrogen is delivered to the anode and an oxidant to the cathode. The water consumed in this process is replenished with water formed as a reaction by the fuel cell. Heat is exchanged between the reformate and the electrolyte upstream of the anode. The heat of the reformate and the electrolytes are rejected to an air stream and thus partially equilibrated at a lower temperature.
The process for treating alkali salt of terephthalic acid comprises obtaining alkali earth metal salt of terephthalic acid and alkali salt of formic acid by reacting carbon monoxide with a suspension composed of aq. soln. of alkali salt of terephthalic acid and alkali earth metal oxide or hydroxide.    The reaction is carried out in an autoclave at 100-200 degrees C.
The fuel cell has an apparatus circulating alkali metal amalgam and a small amount of water or dilute aqs. alkali is continuously added and circulated with alkali metal amalgam in the system, to prevent accumulation of impurities.
Fuel cell has electrolyte between the electrodes, on the other sides of which are compartments for fuel and air gas respectively. The CO2 stripper is in a second chamber to which H2 and impurities can be carried and thence carried to the anode compartment inlet, and a similar 2nd chamber for an air stream to the cathode. A porous separator is between and communicate with the chambers and is saturated with aqs. K2CO3 and KHCO3. The CO2 forms KHCO3 from the K2CO3, the bicarbonate diffuses to the opposite side of the separator and dissociates to evolve CO2 in the air stream.
Carbon-containing substances are removed from the cell by generating gaseous CO2 molecules from CO32- and HCO3- ions by separating the anode from a bulk electrolyte by means of a diffusion barrier which prevents ions from migrating to and from the anode thus reducing the hydroxyl ion concentration and increasing the CO32- and HCO3 ion concentration of the interface and promoting the reaction between CO32 and HCO3- ions yielding gaseous CO2 molecules. The latter are prevented by the barrier from diffusing into the electroyte, diffuse through the anode and are carried away by the fuel cell effluent.
The cell comprises an oxidant electrode, an oxidant, an electrolyte, and a fuel electrode. The fuel electrode has an electrode support material consisting of a metal silicide, tantalum boride, titanium boride or boron carbide with a platinum-ruthenium alloy catalyst dispersed thereon. The catalyst consists of 20-80% by weight of ruthenium, and means are provided for feeding a hydrogen-carbon monoxide fuel direct to the fuel electrode. The fuel contains 2-10% by weight of carbon monoxide.
The fuel or oxidising agent is expelled from the electrodes and the electrode compartments. This is achieved by immersing the electrodes in the electrolyte or by blowing an inert gas through them when the inlet valve is closed. Partic. useful as an emergency generator.
A fuel gas is converted by hydrogen sulphide forming bacteria at the anode and an oxidant supplied to the cathode. The anode is made of porous nickel or nickel-iron alloy and is dipped into an electrolyte contg. sulphate ions and having a pH value of between 7 and 10. Hydrolysed cobalt oxide is imbedded in the porous electrode and the electrolyte is buffered with an insoluble substance i.e. oxide compounds of aluminium and/or silicon and/or magnesium. Alternatively, earth may be used and the electrolyte then has a pH value lying between 7.5 and 8.5
Fuel cell device is characterized by providing a gas vent pipe to a passage for liquid electrolyte connecting unit cells, connecting the vent pipe to a storage vessel for liquid electrolyte, discharging the gas in the passage from the vent pipe to the outside and condensing in the vent pipe a mist of liquid electroylte flowing together with gas into the vent pipe, and returning the condensed liquid to the storage vessel.
Battery has stackable solid electrolyte fuel cells separate by conducting discs. Each cell consists of a solid electrolyte disc of dia. approx. equal to that of the separator discs, and coated on each side with a fuel and an oxygen electrode resp. Two conducting rings further encase each cell defining fuel and oxygen compartments. Aligned apertures in the rings, separator and electrolyte discs, act as manifolds for gas flows to and fro between each of the cells.
An additional fuel consuming electrode is used in an electrochemical system with a cell, a positive and a negative electrode whose potential is in the range of a reversible hydrogen electrode (A) and a closed electrolyte circuits. The circuit comprises a component outside the cell, which is soluble in electrolyte at a potential more positive than that of (A). The extra electrode's potential is in the range of (A). when it contains fuel. It is set in one electrolyte circuit between the component and the cell's most positive electrode. There is a fuel supply to the extra electrode.
The cell comprises a fuel gas diffusion electrode and an oxygen electrode set between which is an electrolyte chamber (A) defined by a pair of electrolyte porous walls. As reactant gas is supplied to the diffusion electrode, a single stream only of electrolyte is passed into (A). from which it flows through the porous walls to the electrode chambers (B). Simultaneously, another electrochemically convertible reactant is supplied in electrolyte to (B), where the oxygen electrode is fixed. All the electrolyte in (B) is removed from the cell.
Storage and controlled release system for a volatile fluid e.g. chlorine for use in a fuel cell powering a vehicle, releases the fluid from a storage tube, divided transversely into compartments and collects it in a chamber for immediate use. The tube enters the chamber through a port containing seals which engage the tube, is slit longitudinally by a knife, passes under a guide roller and emerges from the chamber through a second port containing squeezing seals which expel any fluid remaining in the tube. The tube is drawn through the chamber by friction rollers beyond the second port.
The catalyst may be produced by the reduction of a mixed solution of a Ni salt and a Cu salt with KOH using a reducing agent. Alternatively, a catalyst produced by the above means may be combined with a binding agent under pressure. Additives to the binding agent may include an alkali resistant material in the form of an electrically conductive powder.    As an intermediate step, such a powder may be impregnated with the above solution, the reduction is then carried out and the resultant added to the binder for pressure forming. Fe, Ag, Co, or W may be added to the catalyst.
The alcohol concn. in fuel cell elements is controlled by feeding some of the electrolyte to a capillary tube and measuring the surface tension as a criterion.
Fuel cell is characterised in that the gas exhaust pipe of the fuel cell is introduced into a liquid of low vapour pressure, the surface of the liquid being raised as cell discharge proceeds.
Fuel cell, of the type in which H2 is evolved, is characterised by having a device which maintains hydrogen concentration in the exhaust gas above the upper explosion limit of hydrogen and in that the unexploded gas is introduced to a chamber where it is diluted with O2 to a hydrogen concentration above the lower explosion limit, and then introduced to a room containing a catalyst where the hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form wateR.
Fuel cell, which uses hydrazine as fuel, has a receiver for the mixture of liquid fuel and liquid electrolyte at the back portion of the cathode together with an overflow conduit.
The cell has a porous medium between two electrodes holding the electrolyte, the porous medium held in a metal frame provided with input and output for the electrolyte.
The buffer electrolyte consists of a member of buffer solutions of the following combinations of materials: Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4, KH2PO4-K2HPO4, Ce2HPO4-CeH2PO4, Rb2HPO4-RbH2PO4, KH2PO4-NaOH, (CH2OH)2CHOH-NaOH, potassium acid phthalate - NaOH, boric acid-borax, diethyl barbituric acid-sodium salt, borax-KOH, prehnitic acid-hexahydromellitic acid-, benzenepentacarboxylic- and mellophanic acid- respectively in alkali metal hydroxide.    The fuel cells is carbon dioxide rejecting, high activities can be obtained over the entire pH range, and the concentration polarisation is greatly reduced thereby providing efficient operation at any pH.
On the face of a porous electrode opposite to the liquid electrolyte is a membrane of a polymer or copolymer, e.g., PTFE, having pores smaller than those of the electrode, e.g., in the ratio of at least 1 : 2, backed by a porous support of asbestos, ceramic glass or metal, through which the liquid fuel (methanol or hydrazine), or the oxidant respectively, (hydrogen peroxide) is fed to the electrode.