Electric storage battery for motor cars, consists of a matrix of porous sintered polymer material.    The pore size is reduced by an impregnant material which is inert to the acid used in the battery.    Pref. the impregnant is a silicate soln. which is treated with sulphuric acid e.g. of S.G 1.25 to precipitate a silica gel in the pores.    Pore size is reduced from a normal 25-100 mu to &lt;20 mu.    The matrix is of PVC, polystyrene, or polypropylene, sintered from particles of max. British Standard mesh sieve size.    'Treeing' of lead particles and short circuiting through the pores, is eliminated and battery life increased.
PVC moulding cpds. comprise 100 pbw. of a mixture of (a) 50-95 wt.% of a PVC having av. particle size 10-40 m mu and degree of polymerisation of 700 - 1400, obtd. by suspension polymerisation of vinyl chloride in presence of alkyl- and/or hydroxyalkyl cellulose having 1-4 C atoms in the (hydroxy)alkyl residues, and an anionic wetting agent; and (b) 50-5 wt.% of an emulsion PVC, degree of polymerisation 700 - 1400 having av. primary particle size 0.1 - 1.5 m mu agglomerated with particles having av. secondary particle size 20-50 m mu; and (c) 0.1-3 pbw. of an anionic antistatic agent, and opt. usual stabilisers and fillers. The wetting agent may be Na-dioctylsulphosuccinate.    Battery separators made from the claimed compsn. have high mechanical strength and porosity, and low electrical resistance.
The device has two aluminium foils each connected to a pole of a direct current source in the form of a pocket lamp battery, and a perforated polyurethane foam layer between the foils.    As this layer is compressed the two aluminium foils contact each other, the current circuit is closed, and a warning signals is emitted. It is used as a pressure sensitive warning device in banks, offices, shops and private offices.    The device can be easily placed below a floor covering, such as a carpet, and responds immediately to the pressure of a human foot to emit a signal. The device can extend over a large area, and is not noticable. The device is independent of mains current supply.
Cell vessel or block box for maintenance free lead accumulator is of pref. polypropylene or ABS resin and has a thin film, pref. of PVC which determines the moisture permeability to be is not &gt;10, pref. 3, gm -2d-1 (w.r.t. a 40 mu thick sheet at 20 degrees and a relative humidity of 85%).
A mixture of PTFE and 20-95% on the total wt of a solid material whose mean particle diameter is not &gt;0.2 mu in which the solid mineral material possesses a specific surface 20 m2/g. and apparent density is not &gt;0.25 g/ml.    The mineral solid is generally a water insoluble cpd. such as Al2O3, SiO2, or TiO2 obtained by thermal decomposition of volatile compounds of the metals.    It may be incorporated in an aqueous dispersion of the polymer which is subsequently dried. The mixture pref. contains 30-80% of mineral solids and possesses a porosity 50%.    Porous battery separators may be formed from the mixture.    The wettable compsn. enables porous battery separators to be formed which have high corrosion and heat resistance.
A cylindrical rechargeable cell similar in dimension and outward appearance to a conventional primary Leclanche cell, has an azo dicarbonamide depolariser, an insulator surrounding the portion of the carbon rod located in the airspace in the cell, a laminated separator around the wall and floor of the negative electrode can, and a vent washer on top of the cell sealant allowing gases to be vented.
Lead-acid storage battery plates are made by stamping a succession of apertured grids from a continuous strip of plastics material, each grid being joined to the next by interconnecting members, reducing the thickness of the members to form flexible hinges, coating the grids with conductive material, filling their apertures with an active electrolyte paste, folding the strip concertina fashion about the hinges, and finally heat treating the concertinaed strip.    Individual plates are subsequently separated, after storage if desired.    Process is continuous, employs less plat than prior art processes, and does not adversely effect the properties of the plates.
Element has Li anode, solid LiI electrolyte and electrically conducting cathode containing I2.    Cathode pref. consists of conductive charge-transfer complex of organic donor component with I2 esp. heterocyclic N cpd. vinyl polymer with heterocyclic N substituent, or polycyclic aromatic cpd. in which case cathode can be plastic.    This element yields high initial potential and high energy density and has very long life with only slight drop in current.    It can be used in long-life batteries.    Elements with plastic cathode have esp. good storage stability and long life, making them suitable for use as power source for implanted protheses, e.g. heart pacemakers etc.
The cells use liquid electrolyte and at least one gaseous reactant and the electrolyte and gas chambers are separated by asbestos diaphragms with thickened, impregnated rims into which the gas and electrolyte channels are worked, while the different cells are separated by sheet metal spacers.    The edge zones are impervious to both gas and electrolyte and in three layers, the centre being the diaphragmproper with epoxy resin edge impregnation and the two outer layers being impregnated with a soft plastic e.g. PTFE or PVC.    By avoiding the need for separate gaskets, cost is reduced.
The water produced by reaction in the fuel cell is removed from the electrolyte circulation by means of depletion cells each with an electrolyte chamber and at least one gas chamber separated from it by an asbestos diaphragm and with on its other face a cooling surface.    The rim zone of the diaphragm is thickened, is electrolyte and gas impervious, and has feed and drainage channels worked into it, being sealed by pressure.    The edge of the diaphragm proper is impregnated pref with epoxy resin and is sandwiched between layers of pref.    PTFE or PVC.    The assembly cost is reduced.
An assembly of electrochemical cells, each of which has an anode and a cathode, the anode members are constituted by hydrogen electrodes each of which is sealed in a plastic frame.    The plastic frame is provided with a bellows to compensate for expansion and contraction.    Cathode members are composed of oxygen electrodes each of which is sealed in a plastic frame similar to the anode frames.    The electrodes of two cathode members are connected to busbars through lead wires and each electrode is also connected to the electrode of the anode member so that two cells are connected with each other.    The battery has heat collectors consisting of two cooling members to which centre cooling plates, fixed to the frame, are attached.    The stack of the members are defined by two end plates which are compressed with two end members and bolts.    The end member may be consituted by rigid materials so that it can be removed from the stack. Each electrode is gas-tightly attached to the frame and passages for hydrogen, cooling water, oxygen, electrolyte and busbars are formed to the stack, and connected to the hydrogen zone, the oxygen zone, room, the heater collector and the electrolyte zone.
Polypropylene car type battery case of thin section, has a cover jointed to a case.    The joint is made by oxidizing the surface to a depth of about 0.30 inch with a flame and applying a curable adhesive.    The preferred adhesive is epoxy resin.    The joint has surface in different planes e.g. by tongue and groove.    The joint is airtight and withstands 3 lbs/in 2 and 12 ins Hg vacuum.    The case is about 0.150 inch thick.
Fuel cell electrode comprising a mixture of platinum black with an element from groups V or VI of the periodic table incorporated into an electronically conducting structure.    The Pt is opt. alloyed with another noble metal, while the electronically conducting structure may be made from a ductile metal (Au or Ti) or a powdered mixture of graphite or tantalum with a plastic such as polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene or an epoxy resin.    Electrode is not inhibited to the extent experienced with prior art electrodes using Pt black alone.
Gas diffusing electrode comprises a porous electrode, a first layer of electrolyte-resisting powdered inert material and binding material which layer is deposited on the electrolyte-side of the porous electrode, and a second layer of ion-permeable material which is deposited on the first layer.
The battery comprises cells alternating with exothermic members, anode plate, a fused salt electrolyte cathode plate, cap and cathode collector plates which are also used as a casing, exothermic agent, a firing powder, a platinum resistance wire and a copper wire.    Rubber material is added to the exothermic agent. Typical exotherm ic agent contains:- BaO2 2-13 wt %, Pb3O4 30-54 wt %, Sb2O3 4-16 wt %, CuO 1-7 wt %, Si 20-36 wt %. SbCu 3-14 wt %, Crude rubber 0.5-15 wt %.
Heating is applied within the cells the mselves either intrinsically or using an external power source, either by resistive elements supplied with a. c. or d. c. or by electrodes connected to an a. c. supply esp. at high frequency so that the electrolyte is heated by the movement of its charge carriers and dipoles in the alternating field.    The elements are interposed with the separators between the electrodes proper of the battery and may fulfil the combined function by coating with acid or alkaline resistant material e.g. PTFE, polypropylene or polyethylene.    The elements proper may be of conductively loaded plastic in woven, felt or film form.    Battery life is increased using a thermally efficient method.
Electrodes for primary and secondary batteries which are rechargeable by oxygen and contain quinones having electron attracting substituents and a conducting material, pref. charcoal.    The electrodes can contain a thermoplast e.g. polythene.
Process comprises dispersing and suspending powdered activated carbon of high gas adsorption capacity in a resin solution, e.g. polystyrene-trichloroethylene soln; and blowing the suspension so obtained against the gas-adsorbing side of the electrode.    The electrode has excellent polarization characteristics.
Layered fuel cell electrode with an air duffision membrane comprising a fine porous electrode containing a metal catalyst and carbon, an intermediate metal grid an electrical contact therewith and a layer of porous reinforcement permeable to gas, all arranged to form a sheet, the first layer being a coherent of sheet which contains a nappe of unsintered fibrous P.T.F.E, contg. a metal catalysing a reaction with O2 which creates electricity, conducting carbon and a thermoplastic adhesive resin which melts at below the softening point of P.T.F.E.    The grid has holes large enough to permit passage of the gas and to permit contact between the surfaces of the porous sheets across the grid.    The nappe also contains polypropylene fibres.    The invention ensures impermeability to the aqs. electrolyte while only one of the two impermeable layers has to contain expensive catalyst.
Fuel cell has laminated wall with an inner surface of cured butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber having a ratio of butadiene to acrylonitrile of 75-55 to 25-45 pts by wt. and an outer surface of cured elastomeric fully satd. polyether polyurethane.    Wall has a degree of snap back which renders it self sealing.    Pref. a nylon and a fabric layer are intermediate the inner and outer surfaces.
The battery separators comprise a nonwoven, matted web of polypropylene, polyethylene or polyamide fibres, a polymeric saturant, of poly(meth)acrylic acid or polyitaconic acid distributed through the web, and a coating of (meth)acrylic acid on the web and coating being irradiated in situ. to cross-link the fibres, saturant and coating.    The fibres are pref. of 3 denier polypropylene, having a stable length of 1-5-2.0 inches.    The separators increase the efficiency of battery charge and discharge.
The electrodes are produced by forming a mixture of finely-divided electrochemically active metal particles and hydrophobic polymer particles, in a fluid medium, forming a unitary layer and heating in the absence of applied pressure at temp. sufficient to bond polymer particles, thereby providing an open, porous surface, and dispersing the electrode in an electrochemical cell for generating electricity.    The layer is pref. formed from dough and is made by rolling.    The polymer is pref. PTFE.
Depolariser mixture for a cylindrical Leclanche cell contains 23-39% wt water, in addition to managenese dioxide and carbon black and/or graphite.    The cell is practically leakproof as a result of the high water content of the depolariser mixture.    The cell can be mass produced cheaply.
A thermoplastic surround is secured by first deforming the edges of a sheet to provide a progressively corrugated border.    Pref. the moulded frame is only slightly thicker than the maximum amplitude of the corrugations (pref. about 1 mm) and envelopes the corrugated zones completely.    The sheet component may be metal or thermoplastic pref. with a mesh structure or perforated border corrugations.    Esp. for making thin, secure, sealed frames without adhesives or fastenings to speed production, assembly and compactness of electrodes for fuel cells etc.
A plastic battery casing or similar hollow vessel is made by forming the battery and lid in one piece, by blowing or vortex sintering.    The lid is then separated from the casing and re-attached to it.    The method results in speedier prodn. Typical materials are polypropylene or polyethylene.
Cobalt powder is packed between porous screens or in perforated containers with a suitable bulk density and is provided with electrical contacts.    The cobalt powder has a particle size &lt;100 mu, pref. &lt;30 mu, esp. &lt;1 mu.    Pref. the porous screens and the container walls consist of metal, metal sieves, metal nets, metal webs, metalised glass composition or plastics.    Pref. the cobalt powder is bounded on the electrolyte side by a plastic diaphragm. Pref. the screens consist of a nonconducting plastic which contains the electrolyte in its pores and which supports itself against the neighbouring electrodes.    Advantages lies in the increased specific capacity.
The battery comprises a central sintered nickel substrate impregnated with nickel hydroxide as active material by thermal decomposition (as anode), sintered nickel substrate impregnated with Cd (cathode) separated by a polyamide fibre mat.    The battery casing serves as the negative terminal.    Anode, cathode and separator are impregnated with LiOH and KOH electrolyte (total concn. 7.0-9.5N, being 1.0-2.5N w.r.t. LiOH).    The battery has high discharge capacity at low temp.
The inner surface of the cathodic zinc can is coated with a paste comprising a cellulose deriv. (methyl-, carboxymethylcellulose) with water soluble or swelling property, synthetic resin powder (e.g. polyethylene, PVC) stable to water and electrolyte and hot soluble, and powdered surfactant (e.g. alkylsulphoxide).    The can is heated to produce fibrous resin network on the inner surface prior to inclusion of electrolyte and other components.
A gas-diffusing electrode for a fuel cell is made by mixing, pressure moulding and heat-treating Ni-powder to provide conductivity and catalytic action, silver carbonate to provide conductivity, catalytic action and porous active-surface after thermal-decomposition, fluorocarbon polymer, or its derivative or suspension, to provide water-repellence and ammonium carbonate to provide porosity; where the weight of Ni-powder/the sum-weight of Ni-powder and silver carbonate = 8/70 is approx. 22/70 the sum-weight (A) of silver carbonate, Ni-powder and fluorocarbon polymer/the weight of ammonium carbonate = 100/5 is approx 100/25 and said sum weight (A)/the weight of fluorocarbon polymer = 100/20 is approx. 100/30.
A linear non-crosslinked copolymer capable of gel formation and contg. ion exchange-active and hydrophobic grps. is dissolved in a suitable solvent with a softener for the copolymer, and the resulting soln. spread into a layer, from which the solvent is evaporated.    Water or an aqs. electrolyte are brought into contact with the layer to cause its solidification and hence prodn. of the ion exchanger membrane for use in an electro-chemical cell.    The copolymer used, is formed from at least one ester of acrylic and/or methactylic acid, and the ion exchange-active monomer from (i) acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or itaconic acid, or (ii) vinyl pyridine, N-vinylpyrrolidone or an amino ester of methacrylic acid, monomers (i) and (ii) not being used together.    Membranes produced have good flexibility, adequate mechanical stability, high electrolytic conductivity, are resistant to oxygen, and stable up to 100 degrees C.    They can be used as surface layers for gas diffusion electrodes, and as matrices in ion exchanger membrane cells for dialysis, osmosis and reversed osmosis.
Charged electrodes contain resin acid derivs. in active material.    These electrode plates can be stored for prolonged periods in dry state, without substantial drop in capacity.    Full power is reached very soon after starting by filling accumulator with electrolyte.    In manufacture, uniform quality can be ensured without great expenditure on tests or controls.    Derivs. of abietic acid are esp. suitable for th is purpose.    Suitable derivs. include esters, metal resinates and alkyd resins.
A mixture of powdered thermoplastic material, e.g. PVC or polyethylene, and gel forming pulverized resin e.g. polyacrylic or polymethacrylic acid, is sintered in sheet form and impregnated with sufficient concn. H2SO4 to provide the required volume of electrolyte when the battery is activated by the addition of water.    Reduced size compared to other gelled electrolyte systems.
The chemically stable, heat and cold-resistant sealant is obtained by mixing asphalt as main component, as unsatd. cpd. selected from rubber, a natural oil and a plant fatty acid, and a vulcanizing agent.    The asphalt may be straight or blown or a mixture of these with pitch.    The unsatd. cpd. may be turpentine, or shellac, and fatty acid may be tall oil or stearic acid.    The vulcanizing agent is pref. colloidal sulphur.    The sealant is used in sealing battery cases and battery case caps, or the case and electrode or connection rod.
The incorporation of a colloid in Cd(OH)2 electrodes for alkaline accumulators reduces loss of capacity during use.    The colloid may be added to NaOH/Na2CO3 soln. used to precipitate the hydroxide from Cd(NO3)2 or CdSO4.    In this case the preferred additive is 0.i to 12.5, pref. 5 g/l. of PVA.    Alternatively finely divided CdO is hydrated in an aqs. suspension contg. 0.03 - 0.5% PVA, followed by the addition of NiSO4.    Without colloidal additives the capacity of a Ni-Cd or Ag-Cd cell typically falls to 50% of its original value after 200 charge-discharge cycles. Addition of a colloid such as PVA, CMC or carrageenate restricts this degradation to a few %.
The electrolyte used contains metallic fuel particles, pref. zinc with particle size &lt;500 mu pref. 20-200 mu, in suspension and is selectively fed to the individual cells.    Each cell has a positive gas diffusion electrode and a negative electrode which has upward pointing pockets in which the metal fuel particles can collect, the whole electrode being of high conductivity metal.    A closed loop system controls the fuel density of the electrolyte and hence improves the electro-chemical efficiency of the cells/battery.
Process for manufacturing alkali storage battery separators having a low electrical resistance and a high mechanical strength, is characterised in that two sheets of polyamide cloth, which has been methylated by soaking it in a soln. composed of paraformaldehyde, methanol and an acid anhydride, are so placed on either face of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film that this composite is inserted between the cloth sheets, and then these laminates, after being moisted, are caused by thermal pressure, to adhere to each other.    The separator manufactured by this invented process is of great industrial value in that it is not only improved in its characteristics but is also capable of continuous production as a composite separator of nylon and hydrophilic macro-molecules.
The separator for an alkali battery partic. for a sintered Ni-Cd-alkali storage battery, has the feature of the manufacturing process that a polyamide cloth treated so as to be hydrophilic and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are caused by thermal pressure to adhere to each other.    Besides having a low resistance, the separator made by the novel process has no pinholes.    The separator of this invention is serviceable for improving greatly the voltage, capacity and life of any battery incorporating the separator in it.
Electrode for a lead accumulator battery of the type having a tubular sleeve and consisting of an electrically conducting core carrying the active material enclosed in one or more sheaths resistant to electrochemical attack arising in the battery, the porosity of the electrode being such that electrolyte can penetrate freely into the active material, has the sheath or sleeve of a flass fibre winding or woven fabric combined with a layer of porous, fused or sintered plastic which esp. is concentrated principally at the cross-over positions of the yarns in the fabric.    Specif. the plastic is polyolefin eg. polyethylene.
A wet, free flowing, stable power is obtained by mixing powdered vinyl chloride resin and a liquid absorbing silica, adding a volatile solvent, with stirring at a rate lower than the max. absorption speed of the solvent on the silica and finally adding a liquid non solvent at a rate lower than the max. absorption speed of the solvent charged silica.    Used for making microporous structures in battries.
The grid consists of a low density base material pref. polystyrene resin or ethylene-propylene copolymer a copper bonding layer, a primary coating which consists of a material with a good electrical conductivity other than lead and has a thickness 50 mu, and a secondary coating of lead with a thickness 80 mu.    It has a low wt., is of low cost, and the lead layer is bonded firmly to the base material.    A high energy is stored per wt. unit.
A lead alloy core is placed in a clad comprising a mat or cloth of glass reinforced synthetic resin.    The annulus so formed is filled with a homogeneous mixture of Pb or PbO, with Pb3O4, and the whole assembly immersed in dil. acid under reduced pressure then dried to form PbO2.
Production of continuous tube for batteries A cloth of needle felt for a clad tube consists of 10-80% thermo-plastic fibre with acid resisting property and polyethylen, polypropylene polyvinylidene chloride etc and 90-20% natural or synthetic fibre which is not softened and fused at the softening and fusing temp of the thermo-plastic fibre, such as common tetron, polyacrylonitrile fibre, sheep wool etc.    A laminated fibre made of these mixed fibres is punched to form a needle felt having a weight of 100-500 g/m2 one needle felt is held by metal moulds Z which are heated at 50-220 degrees C so that the two needle felt are pressed to make a continuous tube.    In this process desired interval between the tubes may be obtained at the same time.
Dry battery mfe An electrolytic paste layer, consisting of water sol. or swelling material pref. (carboxy)methyl cellulose a thermally meltable powdered synthetic resin pref polyethylene or PVC, which is water and electrolyte stable, and powdered SiO2, is adhered to the inner surface of an anode Zn can preheated to temp above m.pt of resin.    This paste swells on absorbing electrolyte to form a separating layer for the negative electrode.    The battery is stable with improved discharge characteristics.
Alkali-manganese battery This comprises a strap-shaped positive electrode formed by graphite fibre with electrodeposited manganese dioxide and a strap-shaped Zn negative electrode, these electrode straps being spirally wound together with a separator between them.    The Zn electrode is composed mainly of powdered amalgamated zinc and powdered ZnO, these cpds. being mixed with paste material, e.g. carboxy-methyl cellulose, kneaded with water and applied all over the metal net.    A current collecting rod of carbon is positioned in the centre of the winding, and an electroconductive paint binds the start of the positive electrode winding to the rod.    The battery has an increased reaction area, a small practical current density even in high-rate discharges and thin active material layers on both electrodes to promote uniform reaction.
An electromechanical cell includes a number of electrodes spaced by separators and seled, together with a current carrying electrolyte, in a thin wall housing, wherein all these components are flexible nd frangible.    Each electrode has a perforated, expanded metal terminal which protrudes through the thin wall housing.    A leaktight seam in the housing, is of polymeric materials, is formed directly over and bonded to and through the perforations of the terminals.    The battery may be used in a low-temperature atmosphere environment for powering the payload of scientific balloon.
Application of a coating consisting of a suspension of an electrically conductive powder in a plastic film to the outer surface of the electrodes gives improved mechanical stability and better gas absorption.    The preferred materials are nickel, silver or carbon powders in a polyvinyl acetate suspension.    The coating is applied by spraying, painting, dipping etc.    It is no longer necessary to wrap the electrode in metal foil etc. and the process requires no expensive equipment.
An alkali-resistant, porous, flexible support has an alkali-resistant, rigid polymer matrix in contact with at least one side which contains a network of interconnected pores with intermediately distributed alkali-resistant filler particles. Pref. the support is a fibrous polymer felt material, esp. of polyethylene terephthalate, aromatic epoxides, polyphenylene oxides, polysublphones, PTFE or polypropylene.    Pref. polymer matrix is polyphenylene oxide, polyvinylidene fluoride, phenoxy sulphone or polysulphone.
A flexible separator for use in lead, alkali and other type storage batteries, is manufactured using a base paper sheet made from linter pulp, wood pulp, etc. as main raw material or such a sheet mixed with non-curling synthetic fibres such as rayon, polyester and acryl, the base paper sheet being impregnated with vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride resin emulsions of not more than 2 mu particle diameter or the emulsion resulting from copolymerisation of these emulsions, and being heat treated below a temp. at which the impregnating resin forms a film over the sheet.    The separator features such a softness as to be 180 degrees foldable, and it has satisfactory impregnability with the electrolyte of a storage battery thereby making it not always necessary to use a permeability facilitating agent as was the case with previous separators.
Fuel cell battery which does not utilise any of the power produced to drive auxiliaries e.g. circulating pumps or fans, and in which the recirculation of fuel and electrolyte is achieved by a purely static method, with the improvement whereby the displacement of the combustion-supporting gas and of the purifying liquid for this, is also secured by an entirely static method, by utilising a static suction device for the combustion-supporting medium, fed by a fuel purge circuit by means of a lateral arrangement of the hot part constituted by the battery block side by side with the cold part formed by the purificn. for the combustion-supporting medium, combined with the use of a heat exchanger within which hot electrolyte leaving the cell block circulates in countercurrent to the purifying liquid cooled by the combustion-supporting medium, so that the electrolyte and purifying liquid are displaced by a double thermosyphon.    The purifier may comprise Teflon (RTM) tubes or plates.
Sealed electric battery has a lid and cylindrical case made of pref. polypropylene pressure welded or friction welded together to make a completely airtight case.    The inside of the case is lined with a deep drawn steel positive current collector.    On the flat bottom of this is a contact button which protrudes through the case.    The battery lid carries a current collector which is pref. a spiral spring.    A contact button extends through the lid. A contactor plate covers the lid.    The electrodes and separator are soaked in alkaline electrolyte.
Electrodes for galvanic elements and accumulators have porous skeleton of plastics, glass fabric etc. made conductive at surface or with conductive inserts.    Pores of skeleton are filled with finely divided metal oxide by anodic polarisation in alkaline soln. of metal cpd. from which oxide is precipitated on reducing pH.    These electrodes are esp. suitable for Pb batteries and also as Ag electrodes, e.g. for Ag/Zn accumulators.    They have max ratio of capacity of wt.
The Raney nickel is first deactivated by vacuum baking or careful oxidation with a salt such as KIO3, KBrO3.    It is first exposed to argon and may then be safely handled in air.    The catalyst is codeposited with a fluorinated polymer or a sintered metal support and covered with a porous layer of a polymer such as PTFE.    The composite is heated at 200-450 degrees C in argon. The technique permits the use of high quality Raney nickel catalysts without danger of pyrophoricity.
A method of making a battery separator comprising (1) adding foaming agent to olefin synthetic resin material, e.g. polypropylene. (2) heating to melt the mixture, and (3) injection moulding in a mould on the inside wall of which porous sintered metal is stretched.
A method of making a battery separator comprising (1) adding a little foaming agent and white lead to olefin resin manufactured by high pressure method or resin such as nylon polyacetal which has high viscosity when being melted, (2) heating to melt the mixture, and (3) injecting into a metal mould on the inside wall of which porous sintered metal is stretched.
Storage of one or more metal/oxygen cells prior to use, comprises placing the cell or cells in a gas-tight container which permits the passage of H2 through at least a part of it in a pre-determined quantity such that the container is not attacked during storage and the passage of O2 and water through it is prevented.    Pref. the container has a Pd window.    Pref. the casing is a laminate of polyethylene and polyethylene-terephthalate.
Each plate is coated in a porous pouch of plastics resistant to oxygen and acids.    Laminated plastics foil may be used for the pouch prodn., the inside of the lamination being coated with an oxygen- and acid-resistant ion conductor.    Only positive plates may be provided with such a pouch, which may also be made of a plastics lattice or a microporous foil.
Electro-chemical multi-cell battery comprises cells each contg +ve and -ve electrodes, a separator, an electrolyte and a blow moulded container and cover.    The cover has two blind recesses formed in it, each recess fitting over the lug of one of the electrodes and having the lug sealed into it.    The lugs do not pass through the cover and the cells are interconnected by leads positioned above the lugs and connected to them by staples driven through the lead and cover and into the lug.
A cpd. selected from the Mn2O3/Mn3O4 grp. pref. Mn2O3 is added to the mercuric oxide depolariser mix, in an electric current producing cell contg. an anode and an alkaline electrolyte.    The mix is bound with 0.5-2% wt of a hydrophobic plastic pref. polystyrene.    The proportion of additive is 10-25% wt of the mix, and it prevents agglomerisation of the mercury and the cell has a stable open circuit voltage.
An electrode for a gas-depolarized cell of the type including a consumable metal anode, a liquid electrolyte and a gas-depolarized cathode having gas and electrolyte contacting sides, consists of a metallic supporting current take-off grid on the gas contacting side, an intermediate layer composed of conducting fibres embedded in a matrix of a hydrophobic resin, and a layer of hydrophobic resin matrix containing catalytically active material on the electrolyte contacting side.    Such an electrode, by virture of the many collecting paths afforded by the conductive fibres has an increased power density, an improved conductivity and low internal resistance.    Moreover by using a mixture of carbon and silver particles for the catalyst an increased catalyst effectiveness can be achieved.    Pref. the resin is P.T.F.E. the catalyst as above, and the conducting fibres of silver.
Dry cell, with a central rod electrode surrounded by a depolariser dolly within a cup electrode and a narrow gap between the dolly and cup filled by an electrolytic paste, has one or more elongate moulded plastics spacers between the central electrode and cup wall e.g. being triangular in section, to make only line or point contact with the cup electrode.
The face of the electrode in contact with liquid electrolyte is covered with a catalytic powder bound by a polymer and then sprayed electrostatically with a powdered fluorcarbon pref.    PTFE polyfluoroethylene-propylene, or polyfluromonochloroethylene, at &lt;4 degrees C, to ensure that it remains free flowing, and finally sintered.    The powder has a particle size of 1-100 mu pref. 30-40 mu.    This hydrophobic layer prevents cross-contamination in mixed gas, liquid cells.
The cell consists of a cathode forming the outer casing and contg a metal amode and a separator.    The separator is impregnated with a salt (pref. NaCl) sol. in water to form the electrolyte.    To activate the cell, water is added to a space above the anode which is too small to contain sufficient water to dissolve all the electrolyte.    Thus partial discharge occurs and further periods of discharge are obtained by successive additions of water.    Suitable materials are:- cathode-carbon/teflon; anode-Al or Zn; separator-paper, cotton felt or synthetic fibres.
The electrode plate of the battery comprises a base of Pb alloy filled with an active material paste to which a patch plate of porous and electrolyte-resistant material is adhered.    The whole is wound in a cover cloth or belt of thermo-contractible resin fibres and heated to 150-200 degrees C for 3-5 mins. so as to tightly hold the active material.
Battery plates of good electroconductivity, of the "pasted-plate" type, are prepd. by coating with active material mixed with a solvent in which a resinous binding agent is dissolved.    Pref. the active material is composed of powdered cadmium oxide (100 g.), powdered iron (30g.), powdered nickel (10g.), polyvinyl alcohols (1.5g.) and ethylene glycol (60 cc.).    A nickel net is used as the holder of active material, which is pasted on either side.    While being dried, the paste has ethylene glycol evaporated from it.    Then the plate is immersed in water to wash out dissolved polyvinyl alcohol.
19-31.6 p.b.w. of styrene-butadiene copolymer as a thermoplastic resin, 6.3-10.6 p.b.w. of stearic acid as an additive, and 4.7-7.8 p.b.w. of di(m)ethylphthalate, or allyl phthalate as low b.pt. plasticiser are added to 50-70 p.b.w. of a sintering metal powder such as nickel-copper powder to make a mixture.    The mixture is heated at 180 degrees C for 0.5-1.0 hr. to produce a plate.    The plate is cut into pellets which are supplied to a hopper to form successively by an extruding machine.    A nickel plated steel sheet is held to the centre of two extruded sheets and is rolled by heating rollers to make a sandwiched sheet.    The sheet is heated at 30-50 degrees C and is cut into the desired shape.    The treated sheet is heated at 280 degrees C for 5-6 hrs. so that the added resin constituent is volatilised and decomposed therefrom.    In this process, the plasticiser with low b.pt. is volatilised at 90-140 degrees C, the stearic acid is volatilised at 120-180 degrees C and the thermoplastic resin is decomposed at &gt;200 degrees C.    The sheet is sintered in an inert atm.    A sintered plate having 65-80% porosity and contg. 3-5% C is obtained.
Cell is characterised in that a plate contg. a gas ionisation catalyst is spirally wound through a separator and the lower end of the separator is projected towards the lower part of the plate to constitute an ionisation electrode, whereby the electrode is attached to a liquid cork and is perpendicularly positioned in a cell casing.
A catalytic metal pref. Pt is incorporated into fuel cell electrode by forming a porous blank from a material pref. PTFE and graphite contg. a powdered reducing agent for the particular catalyst to be used pref. Na formate and then immersing the blank in a soln. of the catalyst cpd. in an org. solvent which does not dissolve the reducing agent, where Me cpd. is reduced to metal which is deposited uniformly throughout the electrode.    The electrode have a longer life and a larger current generating capacity and the process may be (semi) continuous.
An electrode for erosion of a metal workpiece is formed by a covering of conductive material on a plastic core.    A blank of the conductive material is firstly formed in the shape of the electrode, and the blank is then placed in a negative of the electrode and filled with viscous plastics material.    After solidification of the plastics material, openings are bored in the top of the electrode while it is still in the negative, and plugs are pressed into the opening for screw fixing the electrode holder.
A laminated paper separator for primary cels is obtained by making a gel film from a mixture of a cross-linked flour suspension and an uncross-linked flour suspension and laminating the gel film onto the paper separator e.g. a suspension fof flour, wateR, sodium hydroxide and epichlorhydrin was cross-linked, after several days added to an uncross-linked flour suspension and the resulting mixture, after optional addition of mercuric chloride, glycerine or ethylene glycol, used as gel film for laminating onto the separator paper.
Porus, gas-permeable, hydrophobic film of PTFE or other fluorinated polymer is produced by depositing suspended polymer particles on auxiliary electrode of desired shape by electrophoresis and sintering this layer after evaporating dispersant.    Film is opt. then rolled and sintered again.    These films are used in electrochemical cells, esp. fuel cells. Process is simple and losses can be kept small.    Film can be produced which are impermeable to electrolyte even at relatively high hydrostatic pressure.
The addition of 10-15% of hydrophobic material such as PTFE to the porous layer containing the catalyst on a fuel cell electrode prevents the penetration of the electrode by the electrolyte. This results in a cell characteristic in which the current density is relatively independent of gas pressure difference across the electrode. Thus the pressure of gas supplied may be reduced to just above atmospheric.
Cheap and improved gas diffusion fuel cell electrode is effected by coating a chemically reactive metal mesh (steel, Al, etc.) with a protective coating by spraying on a soln. of a polymer, pref. vinylidene fluoride in MEK, curing the polymer to form a non-porous layer and spraying onto this a dispersion of pref. PTFE containing 50-70% of graphite particles and opt. is not &gt;10% catalyst and curing this layer to form a porous, conducting surface.
A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprises spaced positive and negative (pref. alkali metal, esp. Li) electrodes with an ionically conducting electrolyte and an ion permeable barrier dividing the cell into anolyte and catholyte reservoirs, the latter including dissolved halogen of intermediate m.wt. pref. Br of I, when the cell is fully charged. The electrolyte comprises a solvent from alkylene carbonates and lactones having 5- and 6- membered rings, with substituents from hydrogen and alkyl groups aggregating up to 3 C's and an ionically dissociable solute inert to the halogen and its poly-halides.
An air breathing electrode is produced by applying a catalyst comp. to a metallic grid to form an electrode, and hot-pressing at pref. 200-500 degrees C a fluorocarbon polymer pref., PTFE. sheet contg. pore-forming agent, of particle size pref. &lt;40 mu to one side. The pore-former is then leached out with a suitable solvent, to give the polymer sheet a final microporous structure.
The dry cell contains a negative electrode in the form of a Mg or Al tube. This is closed at its lower cap of tinned or galvanised steel which forms the lower contact. The cell contains the usual separator, compressed depolarizer and carbon rod electrode. The cell is encased in a plastic sheath (polyethylene or polypropylene) secured at its base with a metal ring of L-shaped section. A reduction in diameter at the lower end of the tube prevents the protrusion of the securing ring.
An electrode for an electrolytic cell is an encapsulated selectively semipermeable separator which is made by completely enveloping the electrode material in a substrate polymer, dipping the enclosed electrode material into a soln. or a solid composn. of an ethylenically unsatd. carboxylic acid monomer, and copolymerising the monomer with the substrate polymer.    The electrodes may be used in alkaline Ag/Zn cells, Ag primary cells, rechargeable Ag/Cd or Ni/Zn cells, metal/air cells and fuel cells.
Hard material for use as a fuel electrode in fuel cells contg. an acid electrolyte with the fuel dissolved therein, is treated with graphite (by decomposition of a graphite cpd., or pyrolysis of an organic cpd., esp. polyacrylonitrile). The prefd. hard materials are carbides, nitrides or silicides of transition metals of groups IV-VII, esp. TaC, Ta3Al2ZnC, NbN, Nb4SiFe and Nb3Al2MnC. Graphite exerts a loosening effect on the surface layer of the hard material, thus increasing its catalytic activity.
The lead storage battery has negative plates of powdered synthetic resin obtained by high polymerizing catechol, guaiacol, resorcinol, paraoxyphenylglycine, 8-oxyquinoline, etc., all having the property of chelating lead atoms. Negative plates of superior capacity and life are obtained.
The anode is of manganese dioxide and the zinc cathode has a discharge capacity of &lt;60% of the theoretical capacity of the anode to prevent formation of hydrogen on discharge and the taking of the anode beyond the point of reversibility. Th e active material on the cathode is not &gt;3 mm thick. The separator between the anode and cathode is impregnated with alkaline electrolyte, is 0.5-4mm thick and is in the form of a mat of water absorbent cotton and polyvinyl alcohol.
A fuel cell includes an electrolyte in contact with a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode; which electrolyte comprises a super acid derived from p fluorosulphonic acid, chloro-sulphonic acid, hydrofluoric acid and/or mixtures thereof together with a Lewis acid being a polyhalogenated cordlent cpd. Pref. the Lewis acid is a halide of antimony, arsenic, tantalum, bismuth, sulphur, aluminium, tellurium, boron selenium or titanium and the strength of the super acid increased by the addition of sulphur trioxide. The electrodes way further pref. contain a gp. VII metal catalyst in a PTFE matrix.
Primary cell with lithium anode. A cold extruded Li ribbon, the process being carried out in dry argon atmosphere, is sheathed with a polypropylene or similar felt, pref. carded on its outer faces, and then accordion pleated, cathodes of copper sulphide thin plates being placed in the pleats leaving one edge of the ribbon free for the attachment of the anode connection. This is made by a tab e.g. of stainless steel, spot welded to a small piece of expanded metal which in turn is secured to the border of the anode by ultrasonic welding again under dry argon. The sub assembly is placed in a pouch of insulating material and then in a metal can which has the battery terminals and a hole for electrolyte filling.
The fuel cell is the type using a gaseous fuel and a gas as the combustion supporter, the two being separated in the cell by a thin membrane which acts as an ion exchanger. Humidifying filters are placed in the inlet pipes for each of the two gases. Within each chamber of the cell are a series of projections from the walls which guide the gas to the membrane, and on the projections are mounted radioisotope sources which ionise the gases.
A water filling chamber of height 10-120 mm., partic. about 50 mm. is mounted on the cover of the accumulator. Each cell has an entry orifice and a vent tube, the orifice of entry being filled with a material having fine pores permeable to water, the lower edge of the vent tube being below the entry orifice and its upper edge being above the level of the liquid in the filling chamber and covered with a material permeable to gas but not to liquid. The filling chamber pref. has a cover in which is mounted a non-return valve for the water supply.    The entry orifice may be filled with a sintered plastic material e.g. polystyrene or PVC and the vent tube may be covered with a fine pored fritted plastic material, pref. polyethylene rendered hydrophobic by impregnation e.g. with silicones. The chamber may be of moulded plastic or hard rubber.    The device fills the cells to a predetermined level without overfilling and causing short circuits.
Electrode for electrochemical batteries consists of a porous metal support containing an electrochemically active material which can chemically attack the support. The porosity of the electrode is 25-35% for supports consisting of sintered metal powders, and 40-60% for supports consisting of metal powder agglomerated with an organic binder. The ratio of the total quantity of metal in combined form in the active material, to the quality of metal in the metallic state in the electrode is between 2/3 and 1.    Esp. useful for the prodn. of cuprous chloride cells. The structure of the electrode is such that sufficient electrolyte is present to ensure, the rapid dissolution of the products of discharge during the subsequent charging operation without substantial polarisation occurring.
A seamless porous separator sleeve for lead accumulators contains porous sintered PVC powder with a porosity of 30% and a pore size of 20-30 mu. Ribs keep 40% of the pasted electrode surface at a distance of 0.1 mm. The sleeve extends over the electrode by at least 3 mm.
A porous conductive central layer is sandwiched between a support layer consisting of conductive particles in a resin binder, the whole being inert to electrolyte, and a similar layer on the gas side of the electrode to which a catalyst is added. Over this is placed a tightly woven textile layer impregnated with a hydrophobic polymer which acts as a separator to prevent electrolyte sweating on the gas side of the electrode. The polymer is pref. a (co)polymer of a (chloro)fluoro hydrocarbon, ethylene, propylene or mixture of these.
Apertured plugs composed of a material which is non-wetting by the corrosive high temp electrolyte of the cell e.g. a polymeric fluorinated hydrocarbon plastic plug, are disposed in the cooler regions of the fuel and oxidant inlets to the closed housing of the cell, so as to prevent the creep of the electrolyte through the action of surface tension along the inner walls of the inlets with consequential congealing thereof at cooler regions.
A bipolar collector plate for use in fuel cells for separating adjacent electrodes in a cell battery comprises a sheet with alternate parallel ridges and grooves of generally sinusoidal shape. The ridges and grooves respectively contact the cathode and adjacent anode, and a cross-section radius of curvature at the point of contact of about 0.25-0.01 ins. The sheets are pref. made of Nb, Ta, Ni or stainless steel. They occlude no significant fraction of the electrode surface, they retard electrolyte leaching and improve distribution of fuel and oxidant to the electrodes.
The centre part of the grid which comprises a rectangular frame the limbs of which are interconnected by a mesh network is formed in a synthetic resin material e.g. PVC. A bifurcated lead lug member is pushed on to resistance welded this frame so that the limbs of the lug member are interconnected through the apertures of the mesh network.
The grids is formed by a plastics, e.g. PVC rectangular frame having an integral mesh network interconnecting the limbs of the frame and formed with a lug receiving portion adjacent the periphery for receiving a lead lug. Preferably the portion is formed as a recess surrounded by a rib which may be deformed to trap the lug in the recess. The process may have upstanding posts which engage in corresponding holes in the lug.
Both wound type and rod type electrodes have plastic protective end caps which are shrink fitted. Typically flexible walled tubing is drawn over the end and then shrink fitted. The plastic material used is electrolyte resistant, e.g. polyethylene or PVC.
Anode plate for alkaline storage battery. Method comprises sandwiching paste between two metal nets e.g. of nickel. The paste consists of active material of nickel hydroxide, hydrophilic adhesive paste, e.g. carboxylmethyl cellulose, and single fibres, e.g. of a copolymer of acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride.
Electrode plates for an alkaline battery. Method comprises mixing nickel cpd. with thermoplastic resin and making the mixture paste, sintering the mixture to obtain a porous sintered plae, and then filling active material into pores of the porous sintered plate.
Pitch binder is prepd. by addition of &lt;10% HCHO soln. or p-formaldehyde or 2-polyoxymethylene to coal tar prior to distillation. Distillation is carried out for 10 - 30 hrs. and catalysts, e.g. HCl or oxalic acid are added to cause formation of novolak phenol resins. Pitch has softening point of 69 degrees C and contains 33.3% benzene-insoluble constituents.
A method of making an electrode for a fuel cell comprising: applying a mixed solution of emulsion or latex plastics particles such as polyethyelene, polystyrene or PTFE, and metallic salt such as palladium chloride, chloroplatinic acid, cobalt chloride, aluminium chloride or silver nitrate, onto a porous electrode body of nickel, silver, carbon or such and heating the mixed solution so as to reduce the metallic salt.
Active material of plates is retained by carrier formed from electroconductive resin, e.g. polyamide, polyethylene, polystyrene or PVC mixed with powdered Ni, Cu, graphite etc., and nickel or non woven material net, bonded by heat and pressure after adding active material. Plates have low resistance and high mechanical strength.
Electrode is formed by compression moulding cadmium with fluoro resin powder, or paraffin- or PVA-coated nickel powder. Gas absorption by the electrode is improved.
A plastics or ceramics housing for electrochemical cells and other electrical apparatus contains certain zones where conductive particles pref. of carbon black or silver powder are embedded in the plastics insulating material to produce a conductive connection from the inside to the outside of the housing. The materials are so chosen that conductive and insulating zones have the same heat expansion coefficient. Pref. plastics is polyethylene.
A rod is inserted with an angled end, and stud gear located at the elbow for the stud to project at right angles into the adjacent mould. When the plastic has set after injection, the stud is withdrawn leaving an aperture for the mounting of concealed terminall in the case of a multi-cell battery case.
An electrode for electric accumulators is surrounded by a closely fitting perforated PVC or polyethylene hose which is shrunk to it by heat treatment at 100-100 degrees C.
Plastic frames pref. of polysulphone or epoxy resin to which positive or negative electrodes are cemented contain in their rim all necessary ports and channels for the introduction of H2, O2 and electrolyte. Several frames containing bilateral positive and negative electrodes are cemented to a stack forming a battery.
Electrode with good polarization characteristics is produced by (1) dispersing finely powdered silver oxide in a mixture of a PTFE suspension contg. 30% solids and a 3% starch-soln. (2) coating the dispersion on to a nickel plate having 85% porosity and is 0.8 mm thick (3) pressing at 1 t/cm2, (4) heating at 400 degrees C for 7 min, (5) boiling the plate in 1 N caustic soda solution to dissolve the starch and (6) immersing the nickel plate in 15% hydrogen peroxide solution to reduce the silver oxide.
The container comprises several layers of elastomeric material whose surfaces are encircled by an elastomer coating with a lower modulus which coating does not fill in the mesh of the material. Each layer has edge sections to form a multi-layered container whose layers are overlapped by at least 25 mm. The container comprises at least four layers of a quadrically woven material, e.g. Nylon (RTM) with a density of at least 400 g/m3. More specifically the elastomer coating (e.g. acrylo-nitrile-butadiene rubber) has a modulus of 526 g/m3 at an elongation of 300%.
An accumulator separator consists of a porous mat of randomly-oriented cellulose fibres mainly enveloped in a polyolefin which has been polymerised in situ on the fibres. The greater part of the fibres has this polyolefin surface, and is not &gt;10% consists of uncoated cellulose fibres. The uncoated fibres are longer than the average length of the coated fibres and are uniformly distributed in the porous mat. At the points where they are in contact, the fibres are bonded by melting the polyolefin.    The separator is very porous but has no channels through which particles can migrate during charging. The greater part of the cellulose fibres is protected from the action of the electrolyte. The mat is more uniformly porous than the mat produced by impregnating the cellulose with a resin. The separator plates are pliable. Expansion and contraction during use does not adversely affect the porosity.
Cell has zinc can, covered with synthetic resin except at base which acts as cathodic terminal. The base is round and flat and has segments cut out to form cruciform ribs, minimising amount of zinc used. The spaces between the ribs are filled with thermoplastic resin, e.g. copolymer of ethylene, a nitrile rubber, polyamide etc. of m.pt. 120 - 180 degrees C.
5 parts acrylamide are mixed with 100 parts of electrolyte, and 5 parts of soln. contg. 10% promoter, e.g. dimethylacryl propionitrile are added to this. 5 parts of soln. contg. 10% initiator, e.g. ammonium persulphate are added to the mixture, and it is then placed in zinc can. Anode is placed in can and in situ polymsn. occurs. The cell si produced simply without complex paste-forming steps being necessary.
Dry cell is produced by placing mixture of ammonium persulphate (catalyst), acetylacetone (promoter) and electrolyte contg. acrylamide between anode and cathodic can. In situ polymsn. occurs, and cell does not require elaborate paste-making processes of prior art methods.
Dry cell has separator between anodic mixture and cathodic can formed by in situ polymerisation of acrylic polymer, contg. electrolyte, between them.
The electrode plate comprises a foamed plastics material internally coated with metal and contng. active material. Spec. the plastics is polypropylene, ABS, (poly)urethane rubber, coated with Ag or Cu, and contng. Ni or Cd hydroxide.
Fuel cell or metal/air battery electrode has catalyst on one face, which is covered with mixture of electrolyte resistant powder, e.g. activated charcoal, graphite, nickel oxide, MgO etc. with bonding agent, e.g. polyethylene. This ensures adhesion of catalyst to electrode. Bonding agent content based on powder is not &gt;3.5%, and catalyst is deposited by electrodeposition or ion exchange methods.
Process comprises the addition of a catalyst to a double-layer metal electrode consisting of a coarsely porous layer of 50 - 200 mesh obtained by pulverizing dried nickel carbonyl with a caking agent such as polyvinyl alcohol, paraffin, or polyethylene; and a finely porous layer or 1-10 mu nickel carbonyl.    Electrodes are superior in discharge performance and mechanical strength.
Heavy storage battery tray for industrial trucks is made of fibreglass-filled pref. polyester resin. At least some compartments in an open-top box are separated by transverse partitions parallel to the end walls. The partitions each include at least one layer of resin filled with a fibreglass mat and 2 layers filled with woven fibre-glass roving. The ends and bottom are resin filled with woven fibreglass roving with the fibres oriented parallel to teh tray's marginal edges.
Catalytic electrode is formed from a moulding comp. constg. of a noble metal powder having an average particle size &lt; 250 Angstroms and 0.5-50% by wt. of a thermoplastic binder having a particle size of &lt;50 mu and a critical surface tension &lt;32 dynes/cm. The comp. is moulded into a billet under a pressure of 1800-3000 psi and at a temp. of 350 degrees - 750 degrees F. The billet is sliced into thin sheets (thickness 0.1-1.0 mil) and united to one or more current collectors. The noble metal is platinum black and thermoplastic binder is PTFE.
A thin film of vinylidene chloride copolymer is adhered to a battery case formed using HI resin, by treating the base case in a solution resulting from the dissolution of 5 to 30 wt.% of copolymer in a mixed solvent consisting of 0 to 40 wt.% solvent of copolymer selected from MEK and ethyl acetate and 20 to 60 wt.% of aromatic hydrocarbon. The HI resin used for the battery case, is a substance consisting of polystyrene in which is dispersed about 20% of rubber by polymerising styrene monomer with uniformly added rubber or by mixing such substance uniformly with polystyrene.
Anode assembly for an electrolytic cell comprises a foundation (pref. of cement) having a rigid base in the form of a quadrangular tray with side walls and an anode unit having vertical anode plates (pref. of graphite) sealed at the base to horizontal current bars passing through one of the side walls of the foundation. This side wall is detachable from the foundation and forms an integral part of the anode unit. When the anode plates become worn the anode unit can be replaced by a new unit. Pref. the anode unit is held in a reinforced polyester resin.
The cell comprises an inner cover member positioned within the cell container and enclosing the electrode assembly, and an outer cover member that closes the container and with the inner cover member forms a closed chamber, the inner cover member having apertures through which the electrode contacts extend. The container and cover member are formed from polyethylene or one of the other polyolefins. Each electrode is enveloped in absorbent fibrous polyethylene sheet heat sealed at its edges. The electrode assembly is encased in fibrous polyolefin plastic incorporating a small amount of low melting polyethylene powder.
For combustion of carbon monoxide, if appropriate after mixture with hydrogen, or for the combustion of formic acid, this method allows the electrolyte to remain chemically unchanged. The anode is made in a catalytic material which is produced from platinum mixed with a sulphide which is insoluble in the electrolyte. The materials used are pref. platinum black mixed with a sulphide of molybdenum, tungsten, mercury, silver or copper. This method provides higher output than the use of conventional catalysts as anodes.
The battery has a negative electrode, pref. made of magnesium, and a positive electrode which has a covering of depolarising material which consists of active carbon or cuprous chloride mixed with a waterproofing agent and an anti-oxidant and bound by a binding agent. The waterproofing agent may be sodium benzo-sulphate, a sulphated oil, amyl mercury, a hydrophobic polyamide or a vinyl chloride gel. This method prevents the depolarising electrode from being rapidly soaked by electrolyte or the transformation of the depolarising mixture.
The electrode, based on a number of parallel conductive rods fixed to cross spacers and in contact with the active material is sheathed with an insulator permeable to the eletrolyte. This sheath is in the form of a corresponding number of U section channels slotted together and lined with a woven or felted glass fibre layer or a similar durable plastic.
Water operated lead-acid accumulator consists of a tank divided into separate cells the dimensions of each group being such that space remains in each cell dfor acid storage. A porous packet placed within the space allows the passage of liquid only so that acid placed in the porous bag is transferred to the cell by the addition of water. The packets consist of polypropylen. The acid consists of a gel formed from silicon oxide and sulphuric acid.
A fuel cell electrode is made from an electrocatalyst of metallic carbide particles bonded in an elec. conducting manner with PTFE to a current collector grid. Spec. the carbides are Ti and W, opt. anodised by the passage of current through in an inert atmosphere. The fuel cell functions well without the use of noble metal catalysts, and is thus significantly cheaper to produce.
The cell is encased or covered with a layer of oxygen permeable material, e.g. silicone rubber but the anode and cathode are separated by a layer of material which is relatively impervious to oxygen, completely impervious to large molecules such as oxides but allows the passage of OH ions. An anionic ion-exchanger resin is used. The anode, cathode and separator are discs small enough for the implantation of the cell which uses a 0.9% saline solution as the electrolyte contained in the membrane. The cell can be used for heart pacemakers.
The plates are mounted in a container which seals their edges with cells of electrolyte between them and with a cover plate, permeable to the gases developed in the cells, communicating with a reservoir chamber containing water. Venting valves above this reservoir allow relief of excess gas pressure. The permeable cover plate is of porous PTFE.
Active composition is produced by precipitating metal (e.g. Cd) hydroxide, with addition of 1-30 wt.% corresponding metal (e.g. Cd) powder before, during or after precipitation of hydroxide from acidified soln. of metal salt. Atlernatively, metal powder is mixed with prepared metal hydroxide. Cd (cpd) is utilised almost completely, thus avoiding pollution of waste liquor or air by toxic Cd cpds. Active component has adequate initial electrochemical activity, whilst process saves expensive metal powder needed for cementing Cd sponge.
A process for producing rigid tubular membrane pockets suitable for holding the active material of a lead-acid accumulator, comprises (a) providing a porous tubular fibrous fabric containing a solvent-susceptible synth. org. polymer, and having several parallel tubular pockets (b) placing mandrels in the pockets (c) subjecting the assembly to the action of a and manifold movement is linear or along a curved path.
Plate is characterised by the formation of a porous layer consisting of alkali (electrolyte) resistant synthetic resin, e.g. polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride, round the periphery of the plate having a layer coated with cadmium paste. This increases the durability of the paste-coated plate without lowering the percentage of utilization of active material.
Electrode for a fuel cell carrying a porous, conducting catalytically active layer deposited on a conducting support which can be traversed by a liquid and containing a hydrophobic agent in which the powdered action material the hydrophobe, a wetting agent and a fibrous carbonisable cpd. are suspended in a liquid and applied to the substrate which is then dried by heating under vacuum, compressed at is approx. 10kg/cm2 and finally heat treated to carbonise the fibres and consolidate. the layer. The hydrophobe is PTFE.
Negative plates for dry-charged lead accumulators prodn. Process comprises impregnating the plates with a soln. comprising a methylene sulphonated tannin and drying. Batteries contg. the electrodes may be charged at low temps. Pref. the methylene-sulphonated tannin is prepd. by oxidising a dihydric phenol to a quinone and then condensing the mixture with formaldehyde and methylene sulphonating the resin with Na2SO3/HCHO.
Terminal assembly for an accumulator or dry cell consisting of a casing having a metallic cover with a hole through which the terminal projects, includes an electrically insulating and sealing gasket, pref. neoprene. The cover is sheet metal and the material around the hole is shaped to form a countersink, the ninner periphery being turned radially outwardly. The gasket is tubular and has a shank part on which enters the hole, and an enlarged head. The gasket is compressed axially as the terminal is assembled so that the end of the shank remote from the head is bulged outwardly against the re-entrant surface of the counter-sunk hole. The part carried by the terminal is pref. polypropylene.
A storage battery has a plastics housing the walls of which are lined with metal or metallised fibres which are limited to form a lattice. Specif. the fibres are metallised carbon, glass or asbestos fibres.
In a moulding method for producing electrolytic cells for accumulator which comprises employing a core and a female mould, the improvement comprises employing a core equipped with a stepped part, obliquely on a parallel plane thereof the a drawing out direction of the core. After a raw material is hot press moulded, the moulded cell on the core is taken out from the female mould by disassembling it. When the core is drawn out from the moulded cell, air is introduced into a space enclosed with the inside of the moulded cell and the outside of the core through a gap between the cell and the core, because the core is equipped with the oblique stepped part. Thus the space doesn't form a vacuum. By employing the improved method, electrolytic cells for accumulator can be produced easily without deformation and crack formation of the cells.
A soln. for fixing the active material to the plate is formed by dissolving or dispersing a resin harmless to the battery operation in a mixture of solvent A, capable of dissolving the resin, with solvent B inter soluble with solvent A without dissolving the resin; an active material or a powdered mixture of active material and electroconductive material is made into a dough with the soln; solvents A and B are then eliminated from the resultant paste held by the active material supporter. The battery has improved weight and capacity efficiencies.
Wet-type air-zinc cell includes a regenerating agent for electrolyte provided by coarsely grinding a moulded body which is composed of powder of an alkaline earth metal hydroxide mixed with pieces of an alkali-proof fibre, e.g. synthetic fibre or asbestos fibre.    The alkali-proof fibre increases the porosity of the agent, i.e. the effective reaction-area, and also makes the agent strong because it does not absorb the electrolyte and so does not swell.
Sealing of a block formed by stacking spaced plates particularly the electrodes of a fuel cell whilst maintaining the flow passages between a series of such plates on at least a section of the block, by casting a material which solidifies in the spaces between the block at a height limited by the edges of these, after at least one comb-type separates has been inserted to maintain the passage apertures; the comb-type separators carry teeth which are inserted between the plates and have a height at least equal to the height of the casting and a width equal to the passage apertures to be retained, and are removed after the casting has solidified.
Improved characteristics are ensured with contact plates inclined towards each other within the body of the reading electrode. The plates are made of carbon powder and epoxy resin, and the gap between them at the spot of contact with the electrolyte is about 0.5 mm.
A heart pacemaker with mercury cells embedded in epoxy resin is protected against premature ingress of body fluid when implanted in the human body. The whole is surrounded by a metallic barrier layer which is permeable to gases by relatively permeable to liquids. The barrier layer may be of Pd, or of Al with a protective coating of silicone rubber, epoxy resin or similar material.
Each electrode of a rechargeable metal halide (zinc bromide) battery consists of a layer of conductive carbon paste, embedded between two reinforcing plates. The latter are a mixture of graphite and soot particles with a polymer which is inert to bromine. Suitable polymers include (chloro)fluorocarbon polymers, PVC, polymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene and polypropylene.
A gaseous-fuel cell comprises a pair of gas-permeable conductive electrodes and an aqs. electrolyte contg. Cs or Rb ions and OH, CO3 or HCO3 anions. Fuel gas is supplied to one electrode and an oxidant gas to the other. The cell may operate in the presence of CO2, the electrolyte being unreactive to the gas. Air may be used as the oxidant and carbonaceous fuels (hydrcarbon etc.) may be used.    PTFE may be used as a binder in the electrode construction.
Sealed alkaline cell includes a metallic container paste, which consists essentially of a co-polymer with m.wt. of 700 to 2000 of n- and iso-butylene, spread onto a gasket of synthetic rubber or onto the inside edge of the container and the peripheral edge portion of a metallic lid. The opening portion of the container is sealed with the gasket and the lid. Battery is leak-proof.
Waterproof casing contains a wet cell battery set in (polyurethane) foam. The casing has plugs with rubber seals to allow refilling of the battery or venting of cell gases, and probes sheathed in a waterproof (plastic) material for connecting external cables to the battery terminals inside the waterproof jacket. Used for boats, pump houses or other wet situations.
Anode and cathode of a rechargeable zinc bromide battery consist of a metal grid with a protective inert layer on one side and a separator layer on the side exposed to the electrolyte. The separator contains conductive carbon particles in a binder, the pref. composition of which is polymonochlorotrifluoroethylene.
A laminated separator for accumulators absorbs the electrolyte and contacts the electrodes. Its central layer is a microporous material pref. kieselgur, silica gel, microporous PVC layers or loose-tipper paper of high short-circuit strength which impedes the migration of heavy metal ions. The two outer layers consist of an ultrafine fibre mat.
Iron clad plate for lead accumulators A plastic sheath to retain the active material on iron clad plates consists of a plastic foil which encloses all conductive bars in rectangular zigzag fashion. A plane plastic foil with an internal fibre layer is bonded across the open loops of the zigzag foil.
Each cell of a motor cycle accumulator has a separate cap with two tubular extension. One has annular grooves at the end and the other, diametrically opposed is plain end fits tightly over the first, yet allows changes in cell spacing to be compensated.
Separator is comprises of a self supporting flexible non-woven fabric of bonded organic thermoplastic fibres, e.g. of polyester, or polyester and glass and/or polypropylene, bonded with acrylic.    The plate is at least 0.1mm thick.
A mould tool, coated with PTFE mould release, is sprayed with a dispersion of graphite As, Zn, or Sn trichlorethylene or with AgNo3 and hydrazine hydrochloride, and then filled with PVC granules. A battery Pb lug with an extension is first placed in a recess in the mould. The mould is heated and after removal of the plastic grid, but before it has cooled, the top face is also coated with conductive material. A double impression tool with a double battery lug joined by the extensions can be used in a continuous process.
Separators consist of non-woven nylon fabric subjected to methylolating treatment. Separators are used because fabric has very good alkali resistance, contains much liquid and has low resistance by being made hydrophilic.
The terminal cap, prior to being secured into the battery casing, is coated with a homogeneous plastic (e.g. polyethylene) film pref. by immersing the cap in an emulsion of which the particles sizes is &lt;70 mu, pref. a nickel or nickel coated disc is placed on the cap prior to coating, so that a tag on the disc extends through the coating. This allows easy removal of the disc and coating to expose the terminal cap for use. Pref. the terminal cap is secured in the casing with a rubber adhesive.
Assembling fuel cell electrodes between support frames 0-5-1.5 mm thick of a resilient material pref. neoprene (polychloroprene) rubber secured to the adjacent (sintered Ni) electrodes by a suitable adhesive (neoprene-based). The rubber frames are porous but the seal zones are clamped under a pressure of 1-3 tonnes/cm2 to inhibit diffusion at the edges. The rubber frames incorporate (polyamide) or textile reinforcement to prevent extrusion of the rubber from between the electrodes under high clamping pressures.    To replace the usual stack of rubber and porous metal gasket assemblies.
Electrode has a liquid-permeable metal sintered body and a dielectric layer in contact with it, which is gas-permeable but liquid-impermeable. The non-conductive layer is PTFE, HDPE, LDPE, polypropylene, cellophane, or their graft copolymers. Used as polarographic electrodes, in fuel cells or air-depolarised power sources or in oxygen sensing devices.
Quninone derivatives preferably containing electron-attracting substituents such as Cl, F and CN, adsorbed on porous carbon are used as a redox cathode material in cell containing alkali(ne earth) anodes and an organic electrolye (preferred are p-chloro and p-fluoroanil). An electroconductive gauze (e.g. Ta) can be embedded in the cathode, which is enveloped in a porous plastic material. These cells have a high energy: weight ratio (e.g. 1100 Wh/kg., with a Li anode, p-fluoranil cathode, and a soln of LiClO4 in acetonitrile as an electrolyte).
Appartus for treating water with a specialised halogen gas including a vessel having an electrolyte containing chamber, an anodic chamber and a water treatment chamber with means to remove the halogen from the electrolyte and permit it to be dissolved in water passing through the water treatment chamber.
In an appts for the electrolytic prodn. of chlorine the cells are made from prestressed and polymer impregnated concrete for better resistance to chlorine corrosion, and the cells are divided into cathode and anode sections with external electrical contact strips for electrical continuity and arranged so that the cathode sections may be vertically removed from the battery line for replacement or repair of the cathode screen or diaphragm without otherwise disturbing the anode units.
A spin-filled reserve energiser, esp. for a power source for a spinning projectile, has an annular stack of voltage cells surrounding a frangible electrolyte-carrying ampoule and is partially encased by a housing and a moulding compound. During manufacture, egrees of the moulding compound through the apertures containing electrical connecting tabs is prevented by sealing them with vinyl plastisol strong enough to contain the compound when it is forced through an opening in the casing into intimate contact with the stack and the vinyl plastisol.
The rechargeable electric battery e.g. an air-zinc battery, has Zn as a cathode active material and has a semipermeable membrane separator which is placed between the zinc electrode and an auxiliary electrode for charging, and the semipermeable membrance separator serves as a partition between an electrolyte around the auxiliary electrode for charging and an another electrolyte with an additive such as ethanolamine on ethylene glycol, around the Zn electrode. The separator is made by immersing cloth in and partly acetylating the immersed cloth with formalin.
A plastic jar contains an air electrode of active charcoal, a zinc cathode an auxiliary electrode, separator which is made by fixing polyvinyl alcohol film on a nylon cloth, terminals, an inlet for electroltye, an outlet, an electrolyte reservoir of potassium hydroxide aq. soln. having SG 1.30 saturated with zinc ion, and a pipe having a pump which is capable of supplying the electrolyte to the battery. Pieces of porous nickel plate placed on the bottom of the reservoir, which has a gas-vent pipe. the porous nickel plates are electrolyte proof and have less hydrogen overvoltage than zinc, and fine grain zinc is electro-chemically dissolved by contact with the plates and is changed into zincate ion in the electrolyte. The zincate ion is circulated in the battery and deposited the cathode.
The cathodic compartment for dialysis or similar electrolytic processes is fabricated by heat moulding chemical resistant tube e.g. PVC to a flattened configuration enclosing the metallic cathode. Windows are disposed in one face of the compartment and semi-permeable membranes fitted to suit the requirements of the application. The cell may be reinforced by crossmembers between the window sections to provide a rugged electrolysis, cell which is inexpensive to fabricate and maintain. Used in e.g. painting of metal.
Laminated sheets (I) of semi-permeable membranes (II) and absorbent layers (III), as used as barrier materials between the anode and cathode compartments in electric storage batteries, are described. (I) provides for improved cycle life and storage characteristics. (I) comprises a cellophane membrane (1-3 mils) laminated to the layer (III) (3-15 mils), which is made up of 10-30% wt. vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer mixed with a starch/flour gelling agent. Layer (III) is prepd. by methods such that the gelling agent is not gelled until it is in contact with the electrolyte.
Accumulator, electrode consists of a grill, pref. metallic, and an active mass deposited in it and reinforced with synthetic fibres which are melted or softened in the superficial layer of the electrode by heat treatment so that they are deformed in this layer, for example their cross section is altered.
Battery has a Zn cathode, air or oxygen anode, an auxiliary electrode for charging the cathode, and separators between electrodes. The anode cathode separator consists of three sheets of polyvinylalcohol 0.1 mm in thickness, whilst the other separator is made by immersing sintered alumina porcelain plate in a nickel nitrate solution, drying and eliminating the nickel compound adhered to the surface, and heating.
Battery hs a Zn cathode, air or oxygen anode, an auxiliary (Ni) electrode for charging the cathode, and a separator made of low alkaline borosilicate glass arranged between cathode and auxiliary electrode.    A PVA anode-cathode separator is also used. Shelf life of the battery is increased by 2-3 times.
A battery as in JA 7112182 is modified to prevent risk of short circuiting by surrounding the cathode with a porous pot.
A rechargeable electric battery, e.g. an air-zinc battery or an oxygen-zinc battery, has air or oxygen as an anode active material, zinc as a cathode active material, an auxiliary electrode for charging the cathode, and an electrode for dissolving zinc which is shed from the cathode to the electrolyte; and a general object of this invention is to provide the rechargeable electric battery with a long duration.
The battery comprises a plastic housing, a waterproof porous carbon anode fixed on the inner wall a cathode made by electrodepositing zinc on a nickel net, a separator such as nylon fibre, an electrolyte containing 35% of caustic potash with a saturated zinc oxide, an auxiliary electrode of 20 mesh stainless wire an insulating partition plate of polyvinyl chloride 0.3 mm thick. The auxiliary electrode is partly in contact with one side of the partition plate and the charging current does not flow straight between the cathode and the auxiliary electrode, but around the insulating plate, and consequently the resin-like zinc which is reduced at the zinc cathode does not reach the auxiliary electrode and generate a short circuit.
Thin ceramic pieces are produced by depositing the ceramic material on a suitable support or mandrel subjecting the material to isostatic pressure, or sintering. The deposition of the material is effected by electrophoresis, during which the grains of material are treated in a liquid so as to become electrically charged, and the suspended charged grains are deposited on the mandrel, which is immersed in the suspension, by giving the mandrel the opposite polarity to that of the grains by establishing a potential difference between the mandrel and the vessel containing the suspension. Thin ceramic pieces with a very uniform wall thickness can be produced.
Two alternative interleaved types of sub-assembly are clamped together between two end sub-assembly and encapsulated in casting resin. The central sub-assemblies are provided with electrodes in one type and not the other, the remaining parts being diaphragms, support frames, spacer meshes, contact shims and sealing gaskets of polychlorbutadiene bonded or vulcanised to the diaphragms or shims as appropriate. The diaphragms are of asbestos.
A number of similar sub-assemblies are stacked in line between two end assemblies clamped together and encapsulated in casting resin. The sub-assemblies are various combinations of diaphragms, support frames, spacer meshes, sealing gaskets and electrodes, some of the piece parts having tubs and passages for reagent flow in and out. The gaskets of polychlorbutadiene are stuck or vulcanised to the contact shims and the diaphragms, the latter being of ashbestos. The rating of the battery depends on the number of common sub-assemblies stacked between the ends. Cell reactant is esp.
Two metallic gauzes, with supporting meshes of plastic material between them, are fixed by welding to each side of a plastic main frame and then covered by spraying first with a suspension of an ion exchanger in a solution of organic binder then with one or more layers of catalyst in a similar suspension. The same binder, namely polyisobutylene, may be used for both materials.
A face heater which has weft and warp threads of heat resistant material interwoven with resistance wire, is impregnated with synthetic resin. Lead wires connected to the resistance wires pass through the outer surface of the heater where they are joined to a supply plug to heat the battery case faces. Specifically the resin is polyester. The heater is independent of the battery and efficiently heats the electrolyte from the edges of the battery body, thus preventing a decrease in E. M. F.
Monogranular layer membrane comprising a layer of grains having a thickness equal to a single grain cored in a sheet of synthetic material so that on at least one surface of the membrane, a part of the surface of the grains is not covered with synthetic material. For use in dialysis devices.
A paste electrods for lead storage batteries is characterized in that under 0.05% of fibres e.g. acrylic are mixed into the active material, the fibres being heat treated to have elastic properties. The diameter of both ends of the fibre is larger than that of the centre. The relative size of the diameter at the pointed ends can be adjusted by the heating time.
The air- zinc battery comprises a plastic case a porous carbon electrode prepared with water proofing, a cathode plate 32 mesh silver net, an auxiliary electrode for charging of 20 mesh nickel net, separators of polyvinyl alcohol film, an electrolyte of KOH aqueous solution with specific gravity of 1.30 containing zinc ions, 20 mesh copolymer net of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, a frame of polyvinyl chloride, a cap having terminals and lead plates.    The copolymer net is as large as the cathode plate (50 x 57.5mm), and is fixed to the surface opposing the auxiliary electrode by means of the frame. The distance between the copolymer net and the cathode plate is about 4mm.    When the battery is charged the deposited zinc is held by the copolymer net and does not fall away from the cathode plate.
Process is characterized by dipping a reinforcing material such as metal net or perforated plate of nickel or nickel-plated iron in a slurry of metallic powder such as nickel, iron and copper dispersed in aqueous organic binder such as methyl cellulose or carboxy methyl cellulose to form a slurry coat layer on the surface of the reinforcing material, pre-sintering one or several times in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature initiating the fusion of the metallic powder to form a pre-sintered base plate, dipping the base plate in the slurry again to form further a slurry coat layer thereon and then heat treating in a common manner in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.
Method for forming a laminated dry cell, with large reaction-area and long shelf life. A rectangular prism type laminated dry cell is composed of several single cells consisting of zinc plate, carbon film binding agent thermally contractable synthetic resin tube an absorbent separator an anode mixture. Base of each single-cell is wrapped with polyvinyl chloride tube whose contracting ratio is smaller lengthwise (10%) than laterally (90%).
Cell includes a depolarizer mix (1), a gelled electrolyte layer (2), an insulating layer such as polyethylene, placed upon (1,2) and made by filling wax which is water-repellent and electrolyte-proof, a cylindrical hydroscopic member such as silica gel, carbon rod, a polyethylene sealing plate, and an anode sealing lid. Overflow of electrolyte is absorbed by the hygroscopic member and therefore electrolyte cannot leak from the opening between the carbon rod and sealing plate and/or between zinc can and sealing plate.
Dry cell having two layers of electrolyte absorbing paper and electrolyte layer between and in contact with the electrodes, includes a dish-like paper with a thin synthetic resin starch coating layer, an anode mix filled in the dish-like paper serving as electrolyte absorbent and having a projecting portion, and a PVC resin tube. The dish-like paper is made from a mixture of pulp and carbon fibre; the carbon fibre is made by baking polyacrylinitrile fibre at 1000 degrees C in an inactive gas, and therefore the carbon fibre has many micro pores in which electrolyte is easily absorbed, and electrolyte is also absorbed by the starch layer coated on the dish-like paper.
Electrochemical cell such as a polarographic cell, a voltaic half-cell or a fuel cell has a non-porous gas permeable membrane and a membrane electrode arranged to allow gas to pass from the membrane to the electrode, the electrode having a smaller surface area than the membrane. The membrane may have a protective coating of a dialysis membrane and may be composed of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, silicone rubber or another form of rubber.
Stationary batteries, partic in telephone installation are protected by a venting device with a splash-proof vent-plug and a porous membrane. Gases pass through the membrane, which is housed in a cap covering the vent plug. The membrane is specif. formed from sintered polyethylene.
The depolarising mass is retained in position on the electrode and forced into initmate contact with it by the hoop stress of a jacket around it which is pervious to the electrolyte. Pref. a woven braid of prestretched threads of polythene or polypropylene is used which is heat shrunk into position. The mesh size is the best possible compromise between the needs of adequate prevention of flaking off of the depolarizer and of leaving the maximum effective surface area.
An ion-permeable catalytic electrode for use in acid- and base-generating cells comprises an ion permeable polymeric membrane bonded to a catalytic metal layer. The catalytic metal is pref. a Pt group metal.    The electrode is pref. constructed by immersing a fine Pt gauze as cathode in a chloroplatinic acid bath to form a layer of sponge, and adhering this to a layer of platinum black powder coated on one side of a suitable membrane.
Lead accumulator which can be stored and then activated by addition of sulphuric acid has dry charged negative electrode(s) protected from oxidation by a layer of a silicone contg. an active anionic emulsifier, esp. a silicone resin, pref. a methyl silicone resin. The emulsifier is pref. a fatty alcohol polyglycol ether. The coating may be formed by treating the electrode with an aqs. emulsion of a soln. of a silicone resin in xylene or toluene contg. the emulsifier, and then drying the electrode. The coatings have excellent resistance to attack by oxygen and atmos. moisture and thus long storage periods are possible.
Exterior lateral wall of an electrolysis cell supports vertical metallic electrodes of the same polarity and separated by elongated conductors which are removable by means of fixing elements which ensure the same pressure on each of the electrode edges.
Cell comprises (a) a closed case with insulated electronically conducting parts spaced from each other, and forming positive and negative cell connections, (b) rechargeable positive and negative plates in the case, (c) a device for connecting the positive and negative plates electronically to the positive and negative cell connections, (d) a porous separator insulating the positive plates from the negative plates, (e) an electrolyte in the porous separator which ionically connects the positive and negative plates, (f) a measuring device for generating a signal, linearly proportional to the partial pressure of the oxygen in the gas space and having an oxygen reducing element, one main surface of which is in contact with the separator and electrolyte, the other main surface having a non-porous hydrophobic polymer fleece adhered to it, pref. of PTFE.
An anode for an electrochemical cell consists of a porous consumable metal body wrapped in, and in contact with a layer of gas impermeable, hydrophilic material to prevent migration of gaseous or particulate reaction products while allowing the electrolyte ions to reach the metal body. This arrangement is contained in a layer of hydrophilic material such as a copolymer of vinyl alcohol and vinyl chloride. This covering layer may be in bag form and heat sealed at the top. The anode is esp. used in a metal/air cell in which the cathode is a hydrophobic membrane in contact with a catalyst layer.
The sealed electrical storage battery or cell incorporate a compressible member of expanded elastomeric material. This material has a closed-cell structure that takes up expansion of the other contents of the cell. The elastomer is pref. expanded silicone rubber with compressibility is not &gt;50%.
The cathode is based on a body consisting of porous sintered nickel on a metal support carrier the sintering being carried out in vacuum or under a protective gas atmosphere. The nickel powder is mixed with a filler and then suspended in a solution of a high molecular weight binder, processed into a self adhesive tape which is stuck to the metal support for sintering. Before sintering temperature is reached the filler decomposes into gases which do not attack the cathode and inversibly. Typically an ammonium salt of carbonic acid is used, which decomposes into NH3 CO and CO2 and leaves no carbon residue.
Introduction of 0.3-5.0% wt. of Fluoroplast 4D to the active mass of a lead accumulator (before its impregnation with sulphuric acid) reduces gas evolution during the charging of the accumulator. Fluoroplast 4D is a modification of polytetrafluoroethylene and is a surfactant powder resistant to acid.
An alkaline battery having silver oxide or manganese dioxide as an anode, alkali solution as an electrolyte, and a formed zinc as a cathode, with an increased active surface area by using powdered mercuric zinc &lt;150 mesh as a cathode.
Microporous material esp. for separators of sulphuric acid lead accumulators, comprises an alkaline precondensed phenol-resorcin-formaldehyde synthetic in accordance with Patent 1279795. In order to reduce the cross-sectional pore size, the duration and/or the temperature of the alkaline pre-condensation is increased.
Support makes use of insulating bands, threads or strips made of a polyester fixing the respective electrode plates to the cell connectors.
Device absorbing hydrogen to electrochemical cells It comprises a shaped body which is H2-permeable made of a solid compd. which will react chemically with H2, a catalyst for the reaction and a filler. Pref. the shaped body is lodged in an H2-permeable. but liquid-impermeable sheath. Pref. the solid compd. is a metal oxide, the catalyst is a noble metal, the filler is an organic cement, and the sheath is a polyethylene sheet.
A fuel cell has a case with porous positive and negative electrodes inserted dividing the interior of the case into three sections. Electrolyte fills the inner section or space. Means for introducing an oxidizing gas into the space behind one porous electrode and a fuel behind the other are provided. The inner section is divided by a porous membrane substantially parallel to the electrodes comprising synthetic fibres, prepared from resin condensation products of phenols and aldehydes which can be fiberized and cured. This membrane permits communication of electrolyte between electrodes but prevents passage of small bubbles of oxidizing or fuel gases.
Method comprises heat-treating a mixture consisting of zinc powder and electrolyte-resistant thermoplastic synthetic resin powder at a temp. in the region of the melting point of the resin. Electrode is for use in an alkaline battery, such as a zinc acid alkali air wet battery utilising active carbon as a positive electrode and has high reaction efficiency and no self-consumption.
Alkaline cell has an ionically permeable film produced by adding carboxymethylcellulose to polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene oxide, the ionically permeable film being formed on at least either surface of anode or cathode to separate the anode from the cathode.
Amalgamated zinc powder and inorganic finely divided glass powder are mixed. A small amt. of gell forming binder such as polyacrylate soda or carboxy methyl cellulose and a predetermined amt. of water are added to the resultant mixture, and they are mixed by stirring, dried, and pressed into a shaped form.    The inorganic finely divided glass powder does not react with Znin the alkaline electrolyte, and cannot be dissolved in the electrolyte. Cell is capable of providing excellent discharge characteristics at heavy load condition, and improved stability at low temp operation.
Alkaline cell titanium compound composition anode for alkaline cell Amalgamated zinc powder and inorganic Ti cpds. such as TiO2 are mixed. A small amt. of gell-forming binder such as polyacrylate soda or carboxy methyl cellulose and a predetermined amt. of water are added to the resultant mixt. and they are mixed by stirring, dried, and pressed into a shaped form.    The inorganic ti cpd. does not react with Z in an alkaline electrolyte, and cannot be dissolved in the electrolyte. Cell is capable of providing excellent discharge characteristics at heavy load condition and improved stability at low temp. operation.
The anode is fabricated by using organic Al cpd. Amalgamated zinc powder and at least one inorganic aluminium compound such as Al2O3, Al(AlSiO5), MgAl2O4, AlF3. 35H2O are mixed. A small amount of gel-forming binder such as Na polyacrylate or carboxy methyl cellulose and a predetermined amount of water are aded to the resultant mixture, and mixed by stirring, dried and pressed into a shaped form.    The inorganic aluminium compound does not react with zinc in the alkaline electrolyte, and cannot be dissolved in the electrolyte.
The anode is fabricated as follows by using inorganic calcium compounds. Amalgamated zinc powder and at least one inorganic calcium compound such as CaO, CaCO3, CaSiO3, CaF2, CaSO4, CaSO4. 1/2 H2O, CaSO3. 2H2O are mixed. A small amount of gellforming binder such as Na polyacrylate or carboxy methyl cellulose and a predetermined amount of water are added to the resultant mixture, and they are mixed by stirring, dried, and pressed into a shaped form. The inorganic calcium compound does not react with zinc in the alkaline electrolyte, and cannot be dissolved in the electrolyte.
Manufacture of a separator for an alkaline battery by methylolating a fabric of polyamide fibres and coating with polyvinyl alcohol.
Cathode for a fuel cell with an alkaline electrolyte, comprising a grid (preferably a gold-plated nickel grid) and a catalyst layer containing Ag and Hg mixed with a hydrophobic polymeric binder (pref. polytetrafluoroethylene), is improved in that the catalyst particles are smaller than 44 mu, and the catalyst layer comprises a Hg-rich phase and a phase with a low Hg content. The catalyst particles are formed by treating a mixed solution of Ag and Hg nitrates with KOH, drying the precipitate, forming the catalyst layer with the binder on the grid, and only then reducing the oxides of Ag and Hg to the metallic state by means of cathodically evolved hydrogen.
The catalyst also contains an adsorbent semiconductor oxide e.g. black copper oxide with defect structure. Silver and copper oxide are pref. present in weight ratio 9:1 to 1:1. The mixture of silver and semi-conductor oxide may be deposited on a porous carrier. The catalyst composition may be mixed with a hydrophobic coating-forming polymer e.g. PTFE. The carrier may have a gas-permeable hydrophobic coating. In the prepn., a homogeneous mixture of finely divided silver and an absorbent semi conductor oxide, pref., a Cu(II)-oxide is pref., worked-up together with an emulsion of hydrophobic polymer to form a paste, and then applied onto a porous carrier.
A cell comprising an anode mix, a pasty layer a zinc cathode can, an anode collector, a sealing member, an anode cap, a thermo-contractive resin tube covering the circumference of the zinc cathode can and the sealing member and an external can. Both anode collector and sealing member are made in a body of forming the material into an electric collective basic member, and a sealing basic member and covering the circumferential surface of both basic members with a carbon layer. By covering at least the outer surface in contact with an insulating material such as synthetic resin the collector is made non-porous and gives electrolyte leak-proof props to the cell.
A dry cell which is completely free from electrolyte leakage is prepd by the several steps of melting a mixture of carbon and polyvinyl chloride at about 80 degrees C coating the melt on the interior of a metallic can having a projecting cap and then cooling the coated conductive film inserting an insulating paper into the can filling an anode mix into the can heating a cylindrical zinc cathode member having two slots coating a melted mixture of polyethylene and synthetic-paste such as polyacrylamide on both interior and exterior of heated zinc member and inserting the coated member in the centre of the anode mix so that the top of the cathode may be in contact with the insulating paper and so that an air chamber may be made.
For cases made of plastic, pref. of polypropylene, a separate lid for each cell is retained in place by one or more inter cell straps and is fixed and sealed, both to the flanges of the cell walls and to the battery strap, using atactic polypropylene. This is applied as an adhesive film.
The top of the cam in which the cell is enclosed has a concave depression in its outer surface from which a hole passes through the lid. A seal with a convex face is retained against the inside of the lid, so that it closes the hole, by means of a holder. The pressure is such that if the gas pressure in the cell exceeds a predetermined value, the deal deforms elastically and allows the cell to vent. A truncated cone or a sphere may be used as the shape for the seal; in the latter case the convex face is its normal outer surface. Sulphur free neoprene with antioxydant plasticizers lubricants and hardener additives may be used as cam ethylene-propylene rubber, butyl-rubber, thiokol (RTM) or polyurethane.
Method comprises the formation of an electrolyte retaining layer by preparing two different liquids, one being an electrolyte wherein are dissolved vinyl monomers, a bond bridging agent and a polymerization accelerating agent to form the layer, and the other being water or electrolyte having dissolved therein a polymerization initiator of the vinyl monomers; and inserting into the anodic zinc can at least one of the two liquids, which is contained in an easily breakable capsule, and then the anodic compound in order to break the capsule, thereby causing the vinyl monomers to be polymerized. Process is quicker and more economical than prior art.
Rectangular battery casing has a moulded lid closing the case with a pair of rope or other flexible handles with their ends secured to the lid at spaced points along the longer sides thereof. The battery case is pref. of polypropylene with the handle ends secured in apertures in the lid by a cured liquid resin.
A mat of synthetic fibres is formed using adjustable rollers and a suction device, then impregnating it with resinous material, drying and heat-treating it, and finally passing the mat through finishing rollers to bind and harden the resin. Spec. the fibres are 12-50 mu diam. and 2-15 cm long; they are acid and oxidation resistant, pref. polyester, polyolefin or polyacrylic; the resinous material, also acid-and oxidation resistant, is a styrene, polyacrylic ester, phenol, methyl-methacrylate-butadiene resin.
The method comprises kneading lead oxide powder with a dilute sulphuric acid soln in which acid-treated and heat-treated polyacrylic or polyester synthetic fibre is mixed and dispersed, packing the mixture into a lattice plate and ageing and drying the packed plate.
A metal plate, pref. Zn, Mg, is covered with a conductive coating comprising carbon in a butyral resin in the ratio 0.5 to 2:1, together with a crosslinking agent. A carbon electrode of enhanced durability is obtained.
Insulation layers of a dry cell, are constructed of polyvinyl alcohol to prevent the paste material from diffusing. The water absorbant quantities of the insulation layer are enhanced by laminating the films opt. including a substance capable of absorbing retaining, and swelling with water such as kraft paper pulp.
Layers are porous composed of foam plastic resinous film (esp. polystyrene) and paper e.g. Japanese paper and kraft paper, and placed between cathodic Zn can and anodic cpd. In the spaces between the layers, i.e. in the bubbles of foam plastic or between the celluloses or in the space between both electrodes, polymerised monomers of acrylamide are used as an electrolyte carrier. These layers give a better discharge performance and they eliminate the defects of the conventional dry cells due to their electrolytic paste layer, the polymers of acrylamide absorbing the water generated in discharge reactions, increasing the liquid leak proofing capability of the cell.
An electrolyte-separator for dry cells, with excellent leakproof and preservation properties, is made by dissolving polyvinyl pyrrolidone (3 pts) in an electrolyte (70 pts) contg. mainly ammonium chloride and zinc chloride, and then mixing with paste (27 pts) contg. mainly wheat flour and starch. The particles of the polyvinyl pyrrolidone paste are absorbed to form a molecular layer and to prevent the particles of the paste from being in contact with each other. The gel-strength of the electrolyte-separator is strengthened.
A pasty electrolyte consists of 100 pts. electrolyte, 20 pts, cornstarch, 10 pts. wheat flour powder, 8 pts. colloidal silica and 1 pt. methylcellulose and stirring. This halves mfg. time and prevents electrolyte leakage.
The separator is made by mixing corn-starch (59 parts) and wheat-flour (20 parts) serving as an electrolyte fixer; pulp-fibre (of 5mm average length, 20 parts) serving as a reinforcement for the pasty matter such as the starch, methylcellulose powder (1 part) serving as a binder, anion activated agent (0.02 part), and water (150 parts) to form a slurry and this is coated onto a metallic plate, and dried &lt;60 degrees C. It is peeled off and pressed to 0.2mm thick by a roller. Physical data of the layer are listed.
Separator for dry cells The film-like separator is made by laminating sheets of film A' and A", A' is made by contacting 5-15% colloidal silica with polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of polymerisation of 1500 to 1300 and a degree of saponification of 90 to 80 and A" is made by contacting polyvinyl alcohol with 50-10% polyacrylamide. The relative prodn index per hour of this invention compared to the conventional arts dry cells is in the ratio of 150 to 100.
Cell has a separating membrane formed by laminating a film of polyvinyl alcohol mixed with colloidal silica and a film of polyvinyl alcohol mixed with hydroxypropyl cellulose, between the anode compsn. and cathode zinc can.
Dry Cell membrane Cell has a separating membrane of polyvinyl alcohol mixe with a nonionic active agent. The agent dissolves in the liquid electrolyte during storage to prevent the oxidn of zinc and the film dissolves during the discharge to provide a large amount of agent in the electrolyte to increase the discharge overvoltage on the zinc surface, so that the discharge reaction is stopped. The leak resistance of the cell is improved.
Dry cell membrane Cell has a film of polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of 75-95% which dissolves in the liquid electrolyte when the concentration of zinc chloride in the electrolyte is above a given value, is placed between the anode composition and starch layer.
Battery electrode mfte Process involves mixing an active powder, fibrous mat erial and binder with water or liquid electrolyte or organic solvent to form a slurry, coating it onto a plate or roll, drying, and stripping the prod. from the plate or roll.
The battery comprises cells, a consumbable metal anode, and an electrolyte. Each cell has a non-consumable air-polarized cathode comprising a hydrophobic member and a conductive catalytic coating on one surface of the member. The anode is spaced from and lies opposite, the coating. The electrolyte is in the space between the cathode and the anode. The cells are separated by spacers that allow air-flow to the cathodes. The air is propelled across the cathodes. The hydrophobic member is esp. P.T.F.E.
Articles with a fragile top, e.g. batch of milk cartons, or a car battery, are protected by a cap piece of e.g. expanded polystyrene, then shrink wrapped. The cap is moulded to suit the shape of the wrapped articles, incorporating crossed tunnel-like sections, grooves, and locating ridges, the latter assisting stacking.
Active material is e.g. Cu or Ag chloride. A support contains the corresponding metal, which is directly chloridized by a cpd. such as thionyl, nitrosyl or carbonyl chloride, which acts in the liquid or gas phase. Preferably, the support is sintered metal, or is formed by agglomeration of metal powder with e.g. a polystyrene, polyethylene or PTFE binder.
Electrode has a cuprous chloride base and is pref. for a Li-anode, non-aqs. -electrolyte cell. A porous support contains Cu and is acted on by conc. cupric chloride solution which is water-free; the solvent is e.g. an alcohol. The reaction is at ambient temp. Pref. methanol is used and contains 500-600 g/l. of CuCl2. The Cu powder may be agglomerated with a polystyrene, polyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene binder.
The lower 1/50 to 1/2 portion of carbon anode has an average hole dia. of 0.01 - 35 mu and the remainder of the anode has pores of average dia. 40-150 mu. In operation of the electrochemical conversion cell current is passed through the electrolyte and feedstock is introduced into the lower portion of the anode so that at least part of the reaction takes place in the anode pores.
A secondary battery including positive electrodes comprising nickel and negative electrodes comprising zinc immersed in a caustic electrolyte, the negative zinc electrode being enclosed in an electrode wrapper fabricated of polyvinyl alcohol having an m. wt. of 12000-170000 which is impermeable to zincate ions while being permeable to hydroxyl ions as is necessary to sustain ionic conduction involved in electro-chemical battery action.
The sintered electrodes have a water -proof catalyst layer thereon; a separator made from alkaline proof synthetic resin unwoven cloth is between and closely contacted with the sintered electrodes and is pressed by a spring, and sealed within an outer can. The water-proof electrodes are made by adding to xylene, 2% wt. polyethylene, and heating at 100 degrees C to melt the polyethylene. 1 pt. by wt. of gas active particles e.g. Ag, Pd, Pt, Au etc. are mixed with 1 pt. by. wt. of the mixt., and dried to vaporise the xylene. The dried material is heated in nitrogen for 30 minutes at 200 degrees C to coat an extremely thin water-proof film on the surface of the particles, which are then dispersed in a dilute soln. of alkaline proof synthetic resin in xylene, and lastly coating the dispersed solution on the surface of the electrodes to form the catalyst layer. Oxygen or hydrogen gas generated through discharge-charging can be activated gas generated through discharge-charging can be activated on the electrodes and immediately absorbed in the active material.
Glass-fibre clad-pipe 3 with several warps of glass-fibre; active material such as lead granules, is filled in the space of the clad-pipe; the clad-pipe pref. has a phenol resin coating, (10-15 wt.% w.r.t. the total weight) coated by immersion in an aqs. soln. of phenol resin and then dried for 5-30 minutes at 150 degrees C. The active material granules are, made by adding to powdered lead, a starch and a diatomaceous earth and then granulating with an extruding machine. The large number of warps prevents expansion and contraction of the pipe, and minimises the fall-out of active material.
The separator is made by adding to 100 parts of gelling agent e.g. natural starch, 5-30 parts of kraft pulp or linter paper as a starch-absorbing medium, and stirring in water, and adding to the stirred a macro-molecule sedimentation agent e.g. 0.1-0.005 parts sodium methacrylate 1% aqs. soln. paper-making the mixt., and finally fixing the paper to polyvinyl alcohol film; absorption factor, mechanical strength; superior to a separator made by coating and drying the electrolyte on the kraft paper. The dry cell using the new separator shows greatly improved discharge performance.
The isolation layer of dry cell is formed by adding butyral resin to the water soluble paste materials, including methylcellulose carboxymethylecellulose, etc. natural starch, bridging starch and similar materials, all of these forming an isolation paste layer, or by using butyral resin alone to form such a layer.
Electrolytic paste is a mixture of electrolyte with pulverized porous synthetic resin of size &lt;80 mesh and paste material powder. Such resin powder retains the electrolyte well is its pore spaces and is also chemically stable, preventing the electrolytic paste layer from shifting or shrinking. These properties improve, the discharging, preservative and paste leak preventive capabilities of the dry cell.    The porous synthetic resin powder may be formed using vinyl chloride-acetic acid vinyl copolymers or polyethylene or PVC.
Standard cell has its active constituents kept in place in the lower part of the arms by a woven thermoplastic partition. The partition is made of at least two layers of woven polypropylene welded together around the periphery. The weaver of adjacent layers are arranged normal to each other and the multi-layer deformed into a thimble shape.
Galvanic air oxygen cell with alkali electrolyte an air oxygen depolarised cathode of active carbon with hydrophobic additives a wound or immersed separator and a paste or pressed zinc electrode with concentrated electrolyte in a plastic cap with contact passages and ventilation holes. A hollow cylindrical zinc paste electrode is fitted in the cup and admits a carbon former enclosed by the separator and an insulation cap. A conductor passes from the former to a brass cap through a lid so that current passes from the zinc paste electrode, via inner and outer conducting plate, through the base of the plastic cap and, hence outside.
Thermoplastic synthetic is injected whilst fluid into prepared joints between the components of an accumulator to seal them together and can swell or rise. Pref. the jointing material is plasticized by heat in the zone of the joint before injection, at a dynamic pressure higher than that of the inflating gas generated. The joint may be only partly filled with the material injected, the remaining space being filled with the expanded inflating gas.
Battery electrode grid comprises an electrical conductor having a number of fingers diverging from a common corner, with locking grooves therein, non-conductive spacing and supporting grid wires spreading the fingers out, and fastened to the conductor by a light-weight sheet of perforated plastic and fused joints occurring between sheet and the grooves. The non-conductor is pref. polypropylene.
Hermetically sealed enclosure for button cells partic. of the Ni/Cd, HgO/Cd and HgO/Zn types includes a cylindrical metal can with a plastic, pref. nylon, sealing ring sealed into it, carrying a metal rivet or cap making electrical contact with the cell inside, but insulated from the can by the sealing ring. The rivet is pref. a copper silver alloy and the can a non-oxidising nickel alloy.
Storage battery separating plate consisting of a fine porous mass, is obtained by mixing a powder of thermoplastic resin with twice the amount of finely divided sodium silicate, forming into a given shape under heat and pressure and then extracting the sodium silicate.    Plate has required flexibility.
Separating plate for storage battery manufactured by providing a rib material of thermoplastic or thermoset resin to an acid resistant porous base, curing the material and dipping into a soln of synthetic resin to form a fine porous layer on the porous plate.    Plate distance required is small thus resulting in improved performance.
A dry element cell produced by placing a film of polyacrylamide between the anode depolariser and cathode zinc can.    Discharge performance and leak resistance of cell are improved.
A dry element cell manufactured by placing a separating layer between the anode compsn and cathode zinc can. The layer is formed by laminating a polyvinyl alcohol film contg. colloidal silica with a polyvinyl alcohol film contg.    Cell performance is improved and production simplifield.
A dry element cell has a film of polyvinyl alcohol contg. water-absorbing, -swelling and adhesive material placed between the anode compsn and cathode zinc can. Material may be pulp powder or colloidal silica. Cell performance is improved and manufacture simplified.
The dry cell has a separating layer consisting of polyvinyl alcohol contg a water absorbing, water retaining and swelling substance such as pulp powder and colloidal silica interposed between an anode composition and a paste layer. Diffusion of the paste into the anode composition during preservation and discharging can be completely prevented.
A separating layer is formed by laminating a paste transfer presentation film composed of a polyvinyl alcohol film and a paste layer composed of a polyvinyl alcohol film containing a paste; the separating layer is interposed between an anode composition and a cathode zinc container. Increase of the liquid substance at the separating layer is very small during and after discharging and consequently good stability is shown.
The separating layer comprises an interception film having ion-permeable property which is prepared by cross-linking polyvinyl alcohol with a dicarboxylic acid and a binder formed on the inner face of the cathode zinc container. Spec. dibasic carboxylic acid such as formic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid and glutaric acid, a small amount of hydrochloric acid and pyridine are added to an alcohol solution of a mixture of a polyvinyl alcohol and a water-soluble or water-swelling synthetic paste such as methycellulose and ethylcellulose.
The discharging effect and liquid anti-leaking property of the electrolyte paste is improved by adding a polymerisation initiator, a polymerisation accelerator and a cross-linking agent to an electrolyte containing acrylamide, adding a water-absorbing high molecular substance and polymerising to gelatinise between an cathode zinc container and an anode composition.
A Ni net (80 mesh) is coated with a paste of active C, powder contng. Ag, and P.T.F.E and a thin PTFE film sheet 60x60x0.4mm in placed on the paste layer. The two layers are pressed together at a pressure of 1 t/cm2 and heated in an N2 atm at 400 degrees C for 100 mins to harden the P.T.F.E. The thin (0.6 mm) film electrode obtained, operating as a oxygen or air electrode.
Gelled electrolyte for dry cells comprises a mixture of the electrolyte and acrylamide or other monomers polymerisable with a redox catalyst in which cross linking agent of the gen formula where R1 and R4 are monoethylene groups having 2-3C atoms (sic) and R2 and R3 are H, CH3, or C2H5.
Process comprises filling an active material such as a cadmium as a cathode active material and a nickel hydroxide as an anode active material in several pockets made of a thin steel plate having many holes, covering the pockets which is reinforced by synthetic resin partition walls with an alkaline-proof synthetic resin film, such as polypropylene, polyethylene and lastly filling synthetic resin solution in the pockets to fix the synthetic resin film with the synthetic resin solution, the weight and volumetric efficiency are both about 10% above the prior arts batteries.
Process comprises attaching rib member made of a acid proof material to porous basic member, made of a acid-proof material such as a glass-mat and immersing the composite in synthetic resin solution whereby microporous synthetic resin layer is formed on the surface of the basic member and drying the immersed in a dryer to vaporise the volatile matter of the synthetic resin solution, and cutting it, the synthetic resin solution comprises 7 pts of PVC, 63 pts of THF and 30 pts of ethyl alcohol, the basic member is glass-mat of 0.3 mm in thickness, the rib member is a piece string made of polyethylene (1 mm in diameter) and the finished separator is 0.25mm thickness and 0.0010 ohm/dm2 per sheet.
The dry cell paste comprises 50 pts of a manganese dioxide, 20 pts of a carbon black and 30 pts of electrolyte with a mixture of 1 pt of an acrylamide, 0.05 pt of an ammonium peroxysulphate serving as polymerisation initiator and 0.002 pt of an ethylene urea-bis-methyl-acrylamide serving as the cross linking agent to finish a moulded anode mix, and next coating the surface of the moulded, anode mix with a pasty matter having water-swelling properties such as a methylcellulose, a polyacrylamide and the like, and lastly, inserting the coated anode mix in a zinc cathode can in which electrolyte has been previously filled up; whereby the mix strengthen itself by an acrylamide polymerisation.
A paste or gel of a suspension of metallic particles and a gelling agent is spread on a support, dried and sintered. The gelling agent is suitably carboxymethylcellulose used in a conc. of 1.5 wt.% for 1kg Ni per 1.51 water.
Relatively long fibred polyamide fleece as separator material for alkali accumulators where the fleece is impregnated with a concentrated (e.g. 15%) aqueous salt solution. The fleece width which has been prefixed by crushing away excess solution under pressure is then dried at 120 degrees to 150 degrees C and finish-fixed. Any remaining salt is then washed off and the fleece is then re-dried and smoothed at elevated temperature.
An electrochemical cell has a cylindrical metallic container sealed by a hard plastic closure made from a cold-flow resistant plastic, e.g. nylon. The plastic closure is radially compressed by pushing it through a reducing die and into the metallic container. The closure expands in the container with such force that the upper edge is slightly deformed outwards and is crimped over upon the top of the closure by means of a closing die which axially compresses the closure. The compression of the upper edge of the container upon the closure increases the sealing surface by forming both an axial and radial sealing area.
A sealed rechargeable cell unit has sensing electrode which delivers an electrical signal quantitatively indicative of oxygen partial pressure within the cell. The signal can then be connected to suitable current monitoring means which can include a charge rate controller to control the rate of charging to inhibit excessive evolution of gas within the cell. The oxygen reduction device comprises a Ni substrate and a non-porous Ni oxide coating. A non-porous hydrophobic ptfe film is in contact with the device.
A sealed rechargeable cell unit has a sensing electrode which delivers an electrical signal quantitatively indicative of oxygen partial pressure within the cell. The signal can then be connected to suitable current monitoring means which can include a charge rate controller to control the rate of charging to inhibit excessive evolution of gas within the cell. An oxygen reduction device has a non-porous hydrophobic film of ptfe adhered to and entirely covering a major portion of the device which contains at least one metal selected from Ni, Co, Au and Pt triads.
Powder polymer for JA 7100297 made by mixing starch powder and P.V.A. with a vibrator.
The cathode is filled with a conducting organic fusible polymer powder, heated to above the m.pt. of the polymer for a few seconds, so that an inner lining is formed. Excess powder is removed and lining compressed by a roller.
Discharge and storage props. of dry battery improved by separating anode and cathode with a film of treated vegatalble fibre and P.V.A.
A mixt. of resin and impurity powder (pref. 20 pts fluro resin, 80 pts. NiO) are deposited on the electrolyte side of the electrode substrate (92 pts. carbonyl Ni and 8 pts active carbon) by heat treatment at 290-330 degrees C for 1 hr. Pt or Pd catalysts are then added, and waterproofed.
The dry cell has a paper separator (I) and a paper paste (IIe between the Zn can and the depolariser. (I) made from a low-substd. carboxymethylcellulose is adjacent to the depolariser; (II) made from highly substd. carboxymethylcellulose is adjacent to the can.
A thin film is interposed btween the Zn can and depolariser, comprising a thermally melting resin carrying a paste. The cell is stable and has excellent discharge characteristics.
Method comprises giving an anode mix, which is made by mixing an acrylamide monomer, of highly fluidity and filling the anode mix in the zinc anode can whereby the pastey separator layer which is housed in the zinc anode can is swollen by the moisture of the anode mix, and the anode mix is hardened by the polymerization of the acrylamide monomer.
Either vinyl compound having hydrophilic group alone or more than two vinyl compounds containing at least one vinyl compound having hydrophilic group is between the cathode zine can and anode composition and is polymerized to form a separating layer.
One wall of the cell is of flexible material to allow compensation for changes of the volume of the fluids in the cell caused by osmosis of electrolyte through the membrane or by the generation of gases within the cell. A Teflon (RTM) membrane is used less than 0.05 mm thick, the retaining metal washer being between 0.2 and 0.3 mm thick, this disc being perforated.
The accumulator has a central acid storage chamber which is inert whatever the concentration of the sulphuric acid in it. Adjoining it are chambers contg. the plate assemblies which are filled with water to bring the accumulator into operation. The walls have blocking interlayers which are impervious to sulphuric acid as long as their outer surface are dry. As soon as they are wetted by filling the plate chambers with water, the sulphuric acid permeates these walls so that dilute sulphuric acid electrolyte is formed in the cells. Fibrous silica is used for the inter-layers; these may be PTFE coated on the side nearest the acid reservoir.
The circuit consists of a flexible sheet of insulating material which extends along the side and across the top and bottom of the cells. It carries conductive cell-terminal-engaging strips across the top and bottom of the cells, to connect the cells in a predetermined circuit. The sheet portion extending across the top of the cells may be secured to the top cover of the battery assembly. The sheet may be of polyethylene-coated paper.
The electrode is made by press moulding a mixture of a water-repellent polymer (pref. PTFE) conductor particles and silver carbonate particles, and heating (pref. in vacuo) at below the polymer softening pt. to decompose the silver carbonate and render the electrode porous.
Electrode comprises (a) a metal, liquid-repellent, gas permeable layer; (b) a liquid permeable, conductive layer, and (c) a middle layer containing carbon powder. Where the electrode is a fuel electrode, the middle layer is catalyzed with metals catalytically active in fuel cell anode reactions.    The repellent can be a hydrophobic resin, such as PTFE.
Electrochemical cell having at least one non-consumable electrode comprising two or more layers, the first consisting of electrochemically inert polymer with a conducting layer of a small amount of relatively electrocatalytically inert material, and the second layer comprises a uniform mixture of electrocatalytically active material and a hydrophobic polymer. The electrode is arranged so that the first layer faces the electrolyte.
Method comprises (1) spreading a catalyst material such as powdered catalyst or a mixture of powdered catalyst and the conductive powder or a solvent such as alcohol in which the powdered catalyst is dispersed upon a porous metallic with water-repellant (2) placing a porous metallic member with non-water-repellant upon the porous metallic member with water-repellant, and lastly pressing and fixing the both metallic member.
Gas diffusion electrode for fuel cells, having a mixed layer of catalyst material and synthetic resin binding agent placed between and in contact with two sheets of porous sintered metallic plate, is made by (1) giving one porous sintered metallic plate a partly water-repellant treatment, the other sintered metallic plate is not treated with water-repellant, and (2) fixing directly both metallic plates by compression molding.
Method comprises (1) coating a paste mixture on a part of the porous sintered metallic plate which is treated with water repellant (2) the paste mixture is made by mixing synthetic resin binding agent with either a catalyst material such as powdered metallic catalyst, powdered charcoal having catalyst or a mixture of the catalyst material and the conductive agent such as artificial powdered red lead, powdered metal; (3) covering the coated plate with metallic net (4) pressing the covered plate while the projecting portion of the plunger is fitted to the non-coating part of the plate.
The material is prepd. by mixing freshly fine-ground anthracite with a paste of rubber or plastics material. Pref. a cationic wetting agent contng. a 7-18C chain and amino and/or diamino gps. is added to the ground anthracite before addition to the rubber or plastics material.
The process relates to electrochemical generators and fuel batteries having a porous., waterproof layer, through which run gas circulation channels or passages and an active layer on their two faces. The electrodes have an inlet and, possibly, an outlet for the gas feeding the channels, and current collectors are provided. Specifically one electrode is housed at least once in the separator. More specifically the separator consists of a sheet of regenerated cellulose e.g. "cellophane" (RTM).
One part of the electrode consists of a material which is impermeable to liquids, but permeable to gases. This part is arranged above the normal level which the electrolyte surrounding the electrode reaches. This establishes a connection for the gases only between the channels within the electrode and the exterior of the electrode.
Removal or carbonate - from alkaline fuel cell. In fuel cell working at low temp. with air as combustion gas, the air is cleaned of CO2, before penetrating in the core of the cell by passing through a decarbonater, while a small part of the electrolyte circulating in the cell is decarbonated continuously. The two processes remove substantially all the CO2 in the air prior to use.    The operation prevents poisoning of the electrolyte.
Carbonaceous fuel cell matrix material comprising (wt % - dry basis) colloidal lithium aluminate (10-15), sodium lithium carbonate (10-15), and support medium, selected from Mg oxide, Mg aluminate and Li aluminate.    The material can be sprayed onto the electrodes, enabling very thin cells to be constructed.    The wide range of particle sizes employed ensures good electrolyte retention.
The glass window of the tube is coated with PVA based photo emulsion, e.g. containing hexavalent chromium, locally hardened by masked exposure to light and the image developed with aqueous soln.    After coating with non reflective film, the hardened areas of PVA are etched away and the glass so exposed coated with the tube phosphor.    The photographic image, after developing, is fixed with acetone.    Better definition of the final phosphor pattern leads to improved electron-optical performance.
The cells use liquid electrolyte and at least one gaseous reactant and the electrolyte and gas chambers are separated by asbestos diaphragms with thickened, impregnated rims into which the gas and electrolyte channels are worked, while the different cells are separated by sheet metal spacers.    The edge zones are impervious to both gas and electrolyte and in three layers, the centre being the diaphragmproper with epoxy resin edge impregnation and the two outer layers being impregnated with a soft plastic e.g. PTFE or PVC.    By avoiding the need for separate gaskets, cost is reduced.
The water produced by reaction in the fuel cell is removed from the electrolyte circulation by means of depletion cells each with an electrolyte chamber and at least one gas chamber separated from it by an asbestos diaphragm and with on its other face a cooling surface.    The rim zone of the diaphragm is thickened, is electrolyte and gas impervious, and has feed and drainage channels worked into it, being sealed by pressure.    The edge of the diaphragm proper is impregnated pref with epoxy resin and is sandwiched between layers of pref.    PTFE or PVC.    The assembly cost is reduced.
An assembly of electrochemical cells, each of which has an anode and a cathode, the anode members are constituted by hydrogen electrodes each of which is sealed in a plastic frame.    The plastic frame is provided with a bellows to compensate for expansion and contraction.    Cathode members are composed of oxygen electrodes each of which is sealed in a plastic frame similar to the anode frames.    The electrodes of two cathode members are connected to busbars through lead wires and each electrode is also connected to the electrode of the anode member so that two cells are connected with each other.    The battery has heat collectors consisting of two cooling members to which centre cooling plates, fixed to the frame, are attached.    The stack of the members are defined by two end plates which are compressed with two end members and bolts.    The end member may be consituted by rigid materials so that it can be removed from the stack. Each electrode is gas-tightly attached to the frame and passages for hydrogen, cooling water, oxygen, electrolyte and busbars are formed to the stack, and connected to the hydrogen zone, the oxygen zone, room, the heater collector and the electrolyte zone.
A system for the chemical activation of gaseous hydrogen consists of a continuous metal lattice of either Ta, Ta alloy, Pd or Pd-Ag alloy covered with a metal hydrogenation catalyst layer having molecular crevices and selected from hydrides of 1, Ti, Th, Ce and Zr.    The system is simple and inexpensive and may be used in hydrogen fuel cells, or as means for producing very pure hydrogen.
The cell by-products are CO2 and H2O.    The gas generator in which the methanol is cracked into CO and H2 is connected directly to the cell whose anodes contain one or more catalysts e.g. WC and/or heavy metal sulphides, for the further conversion of the above gases.    The overall size, weight and cost are reduced, the need for an intermediate purifier avoided and poisoning of the electrolyte with CO is prevented.
The system includes a double piston pump, the two pistons being disposed in separate cylinders and effectively dividing each cylinder into an inner and an outer cylindrical section.    In operation, fuel gas is urged into an outer section of one cylinder thereby moving the pistons which causes electrolyte in the inner section of the same cylinder to flow into the fuel cell and at the same time allows electrolyte to flow from a container into the inner section of the other cylinder and fuel gas from its outer section into the fuel cell.    These operations are repeated on the return stroke of the double piston.
A metal-chelate-catalysed anode is activated before use by (a) opt. heating under vacuum and (b) polarizing the anode to a potential more noble than its original rest potential and maintaining it until the anode potential is increased to that of a reversible hydrogen electrode.    The anode may be used in a fuel cell with a wide variety of electrolytes and is cheaper than one using a platinum metal catalyst.
Porous articles of, or based on, silicon carbide are produced by (i) preparing a carburized matrix of 1.4-1.5 g/cc. of the desired shape, (ii) heating under vacuum to a temp. approx. that of a Si bath, (iii) immersing in a molten Si or Si-based bath, (iv) contacting with very porous graphite to remove excess Si and (v) destroying the C-matrix by oxidation at 600-800 degrees C.    The articles may be used, e.g. as fuel-cell elements, semi-conductors, heat-shields for nose-cones, nuclear reactor screens and catalyst supports.    Articles of high purity may be made.
Fuel cell has laminated wall with an inner surface of cured butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber having a ratio of butadiene to acrylonitrile of 75-55 to 25-45 pts by wt. and an outer surface of cured elastomeric fully satd. polyether polyurethane.    Wall has a degree of snap back which renders it self sealing.    Pref. a nylon and a fabric layer are intermediate the inner and outer surfaces.
A reformable fuel is reacted with water to generate reformate including hydrogen, which is supplied as fuel to the anode of a fuel cell operating above the b.pt. of water and having an ionically conducting electrolyte in contact with anode and cathode.    Fuel and oxidant are supplied to the cell in excess, the excess being burnt to supply heat for the reforming reaction. Water vapour formed in the combustion zone and the fuel cell is condensed, heated by excess heat from electrolyte, and pref. reformate, and used in the reformer.    Supply of reformable fuel is the sole logistic requirement of the system.
The electrolyte is formed by mixing potassium dihydrogen phosphate and lithium- and/or sodium dihydrogen phosphate in a weight ratio of 3:1-1:1 and melting at 200-300 degrees C.    It is esp. for use in fuel cells operating at 200-300 degrees C, using non-noble metal electrode catalysts.
Carbon deposits, which form in the anodic compartments of high temp. fuel cells, are removed by the intermittent injection of an oxidant, e.g. air restoring open circuit voltage to its original level.    The anodes are made of an oxidation resistant material such as Ag, Pt, Pd or their alloys, nickel aluminide or nickel boride.    Alternatively the oxidant concn. is kept low enough to ensure the presence of a reducing atmosphere in the anode compartment.    In this case nickel anodes can be used.
High temp. laminated fuel cell comprises: plane cathode and anode which are made of Ni-nets, solid electrolyte, fixed between the cathode and anode, which consists of heat-proof, porous plate impregnated with or containing electrolytic material, solid gas-producing material-plate placed onto the cathode, which produces cathode-gas in operation, solid gas-producing material-plate placed onto the anode, which produces anode-gas in operation, heat-proof, insulating container having outlets for cathode-and anode-leads, which contains cell-components so as to form a unit fuel cell, and the unit fuel cells being piled up through heat-proof insulating pressing plates into a heat-proof, insulating cylindrical enclosure having an outlet for cathode-and anode-leads.
A fuel-containing-type high temperature CO/O2 fuel cell comprises a cathode and an anode, made by pressure-molding fuel gas-producing materials with Ni-net core, and solid electrolyte fixed between the cathode and anode.    The electrolyte is pref. sintered magnesia contg. Li, K and Na carbonates, anode mixture is of Ni and KMnO4 and cathode mixture is of Ni, C and KMnO4.
High temp. solid fuel cell consists of plane anode and cathode made of Ni-nets, and a solid electrolyte, fixed between anode and cathode, which consists of a heat-proof, porous material-plate impregnated with electrolytic material, e.g., sintered magnesia impregnated with Li, Na, K carbonates.    A solid gas-producing material-plate is placed adjacent the anode, to produce O2 during operation, pref. being MnO2/KC103 mixture, and a solid gas-producing material-plate is placed adjacent the cathode, to produce CO in operation, pref. being C/MnO2/RC103 mixture.
Catalytically active substance with perovskite structure of gen. formula: (AxB1-x)(C)O3 plus-or-minus y (in which cations A and B have similar ionic radii and different valencies and together with O ions occupy lattice positions in close packing of spheres; x can be between 0 and 1; C is cation of transition metal with several valency states).    This can be used in electrochemical processes, including fuel cells and O2 detectors; in heterogeneous gas phase catalysis, e.g. oxidation of 2-3C olefins to oxides, reactions CO right arrow CO2 and CO + NO right arrow CO2 + N2, in catalytic burners and as fuel (heavy oil) additive; and as corrosion protective coating for electrodes, etc.    It can form reversible O2 electrode potential over wide range of temp. and O2 partial pressure and may also have high electrical conductivity.
The electrolyte used contains metallic fuel particles, pref. zinc with particle size &lt;500 mu pref. 20-200 mu, in suspension and is selectively fed to the individual cells.    Each cell has a positive gas diffusion electrode and a negative electrode which has upward pointing pockets in which the metal fuel particles can collect, the whole electrode being of high conductivity metal.    A closed loop system controls the fuel density of the electrolyte and hence improves the electro-chemical efficiency of the cells/battery.
Ni-contg. catalyst for the dissociation of NH3 to N2 and H2, consists of a powder with high surface area in which the proportion of the metal pref. Fe or Co alloyed with Ni is 5-80% wt.    Used in fuel-cells.    Apparatus is described.
A soln. for use as an electrolyte in a fuel cell comprises a water-alkali metal hydroxide-alkali metal pentacyanocobaltate (II) mixture wherein the alkali metal hydroxide conc. is between 10 and 40 wt.% and the concn. of the pentacyanocobaltate is between 2 and 20 wt.%.    Pref. the alkali metal is potassium and the soln. comprises in addition two moles of an alkali metal chloride or bromide per mole of pentacyanocobaltate.
A ceramic body comprises Na- or K- beta alumina and about 1-5% magnesia and about 0.25-5% yttria.    The ceramic has a density at least 85% of theoretical and a resistivity of less than 100 ohms. cms at 300 degrees C and is particularly suitable as a solid electrolyte.
A beta-alumina body, suitable for use as solid electrolyte, is produced by sintering a compacted moist, uniform mixture of Na meta-aluminate and alpha-alumina at 1600 degrees-1900 degrees C in a dry O2 atmos.
A fuel battery includes a number of serially connected electrode-electrolyte assemblies comprising first and second spaced electrodes.    First and second terminals are associated with a respective electrode of different assemblies which are spaced by at least two assemblies.    A third terminal is spaced by at least one assembly from and between the first and second terminals.    First and second loads are connected across respectively the first and second and the first and third terminals.    A first reactant is supplied sequentially to the assemblies between the first and third terminals and then to those between the second and third assemblies.    A second reactant is simultaneously supplied to the second electrodes of the assemblies
The system includes a closed loop gas recirculation system for circulating, by a pump, a quantity of gas in excess of that required for consumption in the cell between an adsorbent storage means and the fuel cell.    The excess gas acts as a heat transfer medium for conducing heat away from the cell.    The rate of heat transfer from the cell to the adsorbent storage unit is controlled by the recirculation rate of the excess gas which, in turn, is controlled by the system pressure.
In a fuel-cell using a cupric-cuprous redox couple, the temperature of the catholyte just prior to and during half-cell operation is about 65 degrees-115 degrees C.    Sufficient well-distributed oxidant is supplied to the catholyte to convert cuprous complex anions back to cupric complex anions instantaneously to prevent build-up of non-transitory cuprous complex anions in the catholyte.    The cathode system operates continuously over extended periods with no great fall-off in half-cell potential.
A fuel cell system includes a reactor in which feed mixture of steam and fuel is heated and reformed in the presence of a catalyst to produce a hydrogen-contg. fuel stream.    The fuel mixture to the reactor is regulated by maintaining a set fuel to steam ratio in a venturi mixer, where the steam is the primary flow.    The hydrogen partial pressure in the fuel cell anode exhaust and the reactor temp. are sensed to respectively, control the steam flow through the venturi and provide a supplemental-fuel to the burner during positive load transients.
A measured, controlled vol. of an aq. solution of an O2-generating cpd. pref. H2O2 or its alkali or alkaline earth salts, and a catalyst, pref. an oxide of Mn, is fed to a reactor. O2 and H2O are released, together with heat which is used to heat a H2-contng. cpd. separately supplied to the reactor.    The preheated H2-contg. cpd. and pref. Ni- or Cu-chromite as a catalyst, are contacted.    The H2 given off is fed into a H2 diffusing chamber contng. a Pd alloy, for separation of the H2, separately from the O2.    The process is used to produce O2 and H2 simultaneously, for use in electrochemical fuel cells and fuel cell batteries, and is simple and economic the appts. being smaller than in prior art.
In fuel cells using fuel or combustants containing CO2, such as hydrogen-air cells, the vele of carbonation of the alkaline electrolyte may be allowed to reach a certain level (C g of CO2 per l. of electrolyte) without loss of output (e.g. in KOH of 5 to 8 N, this level (C) is 22 to 66g/l).    The concentration is maintained at this level by removing q/Cl/h of electrolyte, where q is the hourly quantity of CO2 (in g.) introduced, extracting the CO2 by electrodialysis and returning the electrolyte to the cell.    The electrodialysis cell may be of the conventional type or a fuel cell.    By decarbonating only a small fraction of the electrolyte the power consumption is kept low.
Mixtures of graphite and Au, Ag or Pt are prepd. by grinding natural or synthetic graphite with the metal in an organic liquid until a surface area of at least 5 m3/g is obtained, in the absence of air the mixts. are electrically conducting and are used in electrodes and as catalysts in electrochemical reactions, and in electrical batteries, accumulators and fuel cells.    The method gives an intimate mixt. of graphite and the metal with a uniform composition.
Fuel cell battery which does not utilise any of the power produced to drive auxiliaries e.g. circulating pumps or fans, and in which the recirculation of fuel and electrolyte is achieved by a purely static method, with the improvement whereby the displacement of the combustion-supporting gas and of the purifying liquid for this, is also secured by an entirely static method, by utilising a static suction device for the combustion-supporting medium, fed by a fuel purge circuit by means of a lateral arrangement of the hot part constituted by the battery block side by side with the cold part formed by the purificn. for the combustion-supporting medium, combined with the use of a heat exchanger within which hot electrolyte leaving the cell block circulates in countercurrent to the purifying liquid cooled by the combustion-supporting medium, so that the electrolyte and purifying liquid are displaced by a double thermosyphon.    The purifier may comprise Teflon (RTM) tubes or plates.
Fuel cell assembly which does not use auxiliaries, e.g. circulating pumps air fans, etc. utilising part of the power produced, in which the hot part of the cell is arranged above a cold part consisting of a purifier for the combustion-supporting agent which after purification is delivered to the cell block through an interconnecting pipe by natural convection. esp by a Venturi ejector at the top end of the outlet pipe from the cell block for the combustion-supporting agent and hot combustion products.
H2 is produced by reacting mixture of steam and hydrocarbon on reforming catalyst in reactor at elevated temp., pref. 538-982 degrees C, to give gaseous mixture containing H2 and C oxides. This is split up into pure H2 and a non-diffusing gas mixture by contact with one side of H2-permeable, non-porous metallic diffusion membrane of chamber, pref. in reactor, diffused H2 amounting to 20-90% H2 in gas mixture.    Proportion of H2 separated is adjusted so that sufficient H2 remains in undiffused gas stream, along with other combustible reforming products, to act as sole heat source for reforming by combustion with gas containing O2.    This compact, self-contained plant can operate without external heat source and is esp. useful for generating H2 for fuel cells on surface ships and submarines.
A fuel cell has spaced anode and cathode withs an alkaline electrolyte adjacent the anode and an acid electrolyte adjacent the cathode separated by an ion exchange mebbrane.    Both electrolytes are involved in a neutralisation reaction only. Part of the potential developed vel bbe applied to a similarly constructed may be applied to a similarly constructed electrolysis cell to supply oxygen and hydrogen to the fuel cell, while also supplying power to an electric load.    The electrolytes are subject to depletion and are pref. circulated and conditioned.    The theoretical potential of the cell is 2.057 v., while the theoretical voltage for electrolysis is 0.401 v.
The system includes a heat exchanger for incoming cold reaction gases and hot exhaust gases, a converter section in which the hydrocarbons are converted into hydrogen and other gases and a battery of fuel cells either of the solid electrolyte or the molten carbonate electrolyte type.    After the heat exchanger and before the battery possibly before a reformer unit, is a nozzle through which fuel gas is injected into the cells sucking in with it a part of the exhaust gases from the fuel side of the battery which is made to flow past the entry of the nozzle.    The battery includes a post combustion catalytic unit to which a part of the exhaust gases and oxygen enriched air coming from the battery are fed.
Sealed nickel - hydrogen cell with NiO anode and hydrogen cathode in which (1) the thickness ratio of negative and positive electrodes is 1-20 (2) the proportion of volume of electrolyte to pores in the separator is 0.5-0.9, (3) the gaseous volume is 0.5x10-3 to 2x10-3 m3/kg.    Nickel hydroxide.    The cell avoids deep anodic polarisation which may occur due to erroneous commutation of the electrodes.
Porus, gas-permeable, hydrophobic film of PTFE or other fluorinated polymer is produced by depositing suspended polymer particles on auxiliary electrode of desired shape by electrophoresis and sintering this layer after evaporating dispersant.    Film is opt. then rolled and sintered again.    These films are used in electrochemical cells, esp. fuel cells. Process is simple and losses can be kept small.    Film can be produced which are impermeable to electrolyte even at relatively high hydrostatic pressure.
The need to pressurise the gas supply lines of fuel cells is avoided by operating the cell below atmospheric pressure thus preventing the flow of electrolyte through the porous electrodes.    The reduction in pressure is obtained by maintaining the cell above the electrolyte reservoir, the difference in pressure being determined by the height difference and the electrolyte density. A further pressure reduction (up to 500g/cm2) is obtained by placing the circulating pump in the exhaust line with a regulating valve in the inlet line. Entrained gas bubbles are removed by a degassing pump in the exhaust line.
An electrode for an electrolytic cell is an encapsulated selectively semipermeable separator which is made by completely enveloping the electrode material in a substrate polymer, dipping the enclosed electrode material into a soln. or a solid composn. of an ethylenically unsatd. carboxylic acid monomer, and copolymerising the monomer with the substrate polymer.    The electrodes may be used in alkaline Ag/Zn cells, Ag primary cells, rechargeable Ag/Cd or Ni/Zn cells, metal/air cells and fuel cells.
A fuel cell includes an electrolyte in contact with a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode; which electrolyte comprises a super acid derived from p fluorosulphonic acid, chloro-sulphonic acid, hydrofluoric acid and/or mixtures thereof together with a Lewis acid being a polyhalogenated cordlent cpd. Pref. the Lewis acid is a halide of antimony, arsenic, tantalum, bismuth, sulphur, aluminium, tellurium, boron selenium or titanium and the strength of the super acid increased by the addition of sulphur trioxide. The electrodes way further pref. contain a gp. VII metal catalyst in a PTFE matrix.
The current output of a hydrazine concentration sensor, comprising an elongated porous anode with a porous separator which prevents cathode evolved gas i.e. hydrogen diffusing and coming into contact with the anode, is composed with a desired value established by a potentiostat representative of the optimum hydrazine concentration and used to control, together with a signal representative of the fuel cell output, the hydrazine-feeding system of the fuel cell.
The fuel cell is the type using a gaseous fuel and a gas as the combustion supporter, the two being separated in the cell by a thin membrane which acts as an ion exchanger. Humidifying filters are placed in the inlet pipes for each of the two gases. Within each chamber of the cell are a series of projections from the walls which guide the gas to the membrane, and on the projections are mounted radioisotope sources which ionise the gases.
The exothermic reaction in which at least one substance is produced by conversion of hydrogenous fuel, produces the heat necessary to evaporate excess water from the aqueous electrolyte thus maintaining it at the required concentration. Either the exotherm produced by conversion of H2O2 to liberate oxygen or that from conversion of hydrazine to hydrogen may be so used.
Electrical energy is generated by contacting an organic material (hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, phenols, alcohols, aldehydes, derivs. of organic acids and ethers) with an electrolyte-oxidising agent consisting of MnO2 in combination with an oxidising gas. Electron collectors are supplied. The wt. ratio of MnO2/organic material is not &lt; about 5, and the pH of the system about 5-8. The cell provides means of usefully disposing of waste organic material.
Apertured plugs composed of a material which is non-wetting by the corrosive high temp electrolyte of the cell e.g. a polymeric fluorinated hydrocarbon plastic plug, are disposed in the cooler regions of the fuel and oxidant inlets to the closed housing of the cell, so as to prevent the creep of the electrolyte through the action of surface tension along the inner walls of the inlets with consequential congealing thereof at cooler regions.
Fuel cell with positive and negative gas diffusion electrodes separated by a distance less than the max. thickness of the ionic diffusion layer in the electrolyte, i.e. in the range 0.05-0.5 mm. Electrolyte is circulated between the electrodes at a rate sufficient to remove the reaction products. Hydrogen and oxygen is supplied to that surface of respective planar negative and positive electrodes opposite that contacting the electrolyte and is supplied at overpressure insufficient to cause the gas to pass through the electrodes and into the electrolyte. The cell operates at temps. from ambient to 70 degrees C and at overpressures less than 1 kgm/cm2.
Fuel-air cell has a number of fluid-tight electrically insulated chambers each contg. a spaced fuel anode and gas diffusion cathode. Anode and the cathode form an adjacent chamber supported on common partition wall and are secured thereto and electrically connected together in series by conductive screws and nuts. Friction-fit cover of fluoroethylenepropylene polymer has apertures exposing cathode tops to air. Device has high voltage output. Chambers contain alkaline electrolyte with dissolved fuel, e.g. methanol in potassium hydroxide. Cathodes are pref. wet-proofed and selective areas imperviously coated.
A pellet comprising an outer portion (e.g. a metal hydride) which generates an electro-chemically reactive gas (e.g. hydrogen) upon contact with a liquid reactant (e.g. water), and an inner portion which neutralizes the liquid reaction products formed in generating the gas. Using this pellet in a Kipp-type generator, operator's contact with corrosive chemicals is minimised since the liquid reactant products are neutralized.
Plastic frames pref. of polysulphone or epoxy resin to which positive or negative electrodes are cemented contain in their rim all necessary ports and channels for the introduction of H2, O2 and electrolyte. Several frames containing bilateral positive and negative electrodes are cemented to a stack forming a battery.
Power cell or battery container, containing an anode, cathode and an electrolyte (e.g. for use in transistor radios, hearing aids or watches) comprises an iron base alloy core integrally bonded to a layer of an alloy comprising 0.5-5% Fe and/or 0.5-2% Co, balance, apart from impurities, being Cu on the inside and externally to a layer of brass, Cu, nickel silver, cupro nickel or the above Cu base alloy. The composite may be 0.005-0.21" thick and the cladding layers may be 5-15% each of the total composite thickness. The composite may be made by roll bonding.
Alkaline fuel cells and batteries which use atmospheric oxygen for the depolariser have a CO2 trap between the air inlet and the catalytic electrode. The trap is made of a thin porous base impregnated with alkali (ne earth) metal hydroxides, pref. Li, Ca, Mg or Ba which do not deliquesce. Degradation of the cell by carbonation of the electrolyte is eliminated, and enhanced discharge characteristics are obtained over an extended cell life.
The molten electrolyte has both metallic and non metallic components. The metal consumed by the electrochemical reaction is made good by an external supply and the anionic components required for the reaction are also fed to the cell from outside.
The heavy discharge capacity accumulator and the fuel cell have a common reversible negative electrode of the hydrogen storage type. There is a porous separator between this electrode and the positible electrode of the fuel cell which joins the electrodes mechanically but separates them electronically.
Felt, fleece strip or plate fibre material either metallic or non metallic is prefabricated to the electrode configuration but with a pore volume of 85-98% and a thickness proportional to the required electrode thickness. It is then clad with metal or alloy coating appropriate to its end use and compressed to the thickness required with its final pore volume &lt;85%. It may then be heat treated or given additional locallised compression and the lead outs fitted.
The liquid electrolyte is circulated through a fuel cell from a first storage vessel and into a second storage vessel in one stage, and in the second stage it is returned from the second to the first vessel. The whole cycle is accomplished by letting the pressure of the gaseous phase in the first vessel fluctuate between two levels so that neither pumps nor valves are required in the circuit.
For combustion of carbon monoxide, if appropriate after mixture with hydrogen, or for the combustion of formic acid, this method allows the electrolyte to remain chemically unchanged. The anode is made in a catalytic material which is produced from platinum mixed with a sulphide which is insoluble in the electrolyte. The materials used are pref. platinum black mixed with a sulphide of molybdenum, tungsten, mercury, silver or copper. This method provides higher output than the use of conventional catalysts as anodes.
An aqueous electrolyte is retained in a porous matrix and the cell has feed systems for gaseous fuel and oxidant. Each electrode is mechanically joined to a porous reservoir the pore distribution curves of both electrode and reservoir, which relate change of volume to change of radius as a function of radius, either overlap or coincide. The electrode and reservoir are between 20-50% filled with electrolyte. The electrodes, reservoirs and outer walls are so designed with grooves and ribs and the gas distribution system they form, has a uniform gas flow rate to all active parts of the cell.
Gear pumps made from insulating materials or peristaltic pumps are used as valve for electrolyte in fuel cells. These valves are used for suppression of parasitic electrolyte circulation which reduces cell efficiency. These pumps can be inactive or they can be used for circulating electrolyte.
Reactive gas e.g. hydrogen, for the fuel cell is generated by a pellet and a Kipps-type generator. The pellet has a first zone of material that generates the reactive gas upon contact with a liquid reactant e.g. water, this zone being covered with a first zone of material that generates an inert gas upon contact with liquid reactant in the generator. Pref. the first zone is of Mg, Zn, Al, alkali hydride or CO2 precursor. Eliminates any problem of mixing, the reactive gas (hydrogen) with the initially present air in the fuel cell since this is purged by the initially produced inert gas e.g. carbon dioxide or methane.
The cell is divided by a permeable wall into an anodic electrolyte chamber and a cathodic electrolyte chamber. The electrolyte contains more than two reversible reduction oxidation substances a source of prereduced material being connected to the anolyte chamber and a source of preoxidized material to the catholyte chamber. The equal weight potential difference between the various redox substance does not exceed 0.8 V.
A current-generating fuel cell comprises two electrolyte compartments separated by a permselective membrane of ion-exchange material permeable by water and anode ions but not by bromine and bromide ions. The anode is of Zn with a ZnBr2 anolyte (pref. contg. Zn powder) and the catholyte is aqs. ZnBr2 and Br2. The cell is partic. useful as a fuel cell, with continual anolyte and catholyte replenishment.    Bromine is prevented from diffusing to the anode; the anode may be continually renewed and concentrations maintained at optimum.
A gaseous-fuel cell comprises a pair of gas-permeable conductive electrodes and an aqs. electrolyte contg. Cs or Rb ions and OH, CO3 or HCO3 anions. Fuel gas is supplied to one electrode and an oxidant gas to the other. The cell may operate in the presence of CO2, the electrolyte being unreactive to the gas. Air may be used as the oxidant and carbonaceous fuels (hydrcarbon etc.) may be used.    PTFE may be used as a binder in the electrode construction.
A fuel cell using air as an oxygen source includes an air inlet line having a carbon dioxide scrubber and a constant volume pump for pumping air to the cathode, an air exhaust for venting wet oxygen depleted air, a line for recirculation part of the vented air to the air inlet line, and an atmospheric air inlet line including a heater and a controllable valve supplying atmospheric air to the inlet line, the valve being adjusted according to the cell current load output to vary the recirculated air/atmospheric air ratio, the proportion of inlet air heated by the heater being adjustable by a trim valve in a heater bypass line. The fuel cell output voltage can thus be maintain constant over a range of load currents. Preferably fuel cell coolant is in heat exchange relationship with the heater.
A separable sealing construction for fuel cells and other electrochemical and membrane process cells comprises a gasket lying in the some geometric plane or planes on the fluid distribution matrix or matrixes of the cell or cell assembly.
Gaseous fuel and oxidant are introduced into the molten electrolyte and the reaction product which is insoluble in the electrolyte, is removed on formation by sweeping. This maintains the reaction product activity in its region of formation sufficiently below the activity of one or both reactants to produce an output voltage exceeding the standard voltage at the operating temp. (above 400 degrees C) where the product is not removed. The reaction product may be decomposed and its constituents recycled.    The cell is pref. a hydrogen-iodine cell, and an output of 0.94 volts is obtainable, compared with a standard voltage of 0.13 volts.
A reserve fuel cell battery has respective oxygen and hydrogen gas diffusion electrodes with electrolyte between them, the outer faces of the electrodes being catalytically active so that when contacted with respective liquid gas yielding materials they generate gas, a charge of one liquid gas yielding material being normally supported out of contact with its respective electrode, and being brought into contact with it by tilting the battery.    The operating materials are stored in the battery, which has a long shelf life and can be activated simply. It is easily rechargeable with operating materials after use.    The electrolyte may be aqueous sodium hydroxide, the oxygen yielding material may be aqueous hydrogen peroxide, and the hydrogen yielding material sodium borohydride in sodium hydroxide.
An electrical cell consists of an electrolyte and two electrodes, one of which comprises an electronically conductive glass. The cell produces electrical output at the temperature at which the glass is electronically conductive.    The cells may be used as primary or fuel cells at high temperatures.    The glass electrode is pref. the cathode and consists of steel or nickel with a coating of vanadium glass. The electrode is pref. produced by preparing a molten glass containing V2O5, P2O5 and Li3PO4 at 1000 degrees C in a neutral atmosphere, and dipping the metal into the melt at about 7000 degrees C. The electrolyte is pref. a fused salt mixture, at lease one salt having a metal-containing anion in a higher state of oxidation.
Apparatus for automatically feeding liquid at a predetermined pressure from a storage container to a main catalytic bed where it is decomposed to liberate a gas has an auxiliary catalytic bed operable to supply gas to a space above the liquid in the container and a flow control valve responsive to the pressure of gas above the liquid to control the supply of liquid from the container to the auxiliary bed. The valve is adjusted so that the feed of liquid to the auxiliary bed is initiated when the gas pressure above the liquid falls below a predetermined value.
The electrolyte concentration is maintained constant by measuring the density of the electrolyte liquid and, upon reaching a predetermind minimum density, draining off diluted electrolyte and supplying concentrated electrolyte until the density of the electrolyte liquid reaches or exceeds a given value.
The fuel cell is supplied with reactant fluid eg. oxygen from a closed circuit loop debouching to the combustion zone. Part of the oxygen is utilised and the loop concentration diminishes as monitored at the cell electrodes this stage automatically controlled valves open in a bleed port to remove part of the spent gas with admission of fresh fluid at a valve-controlled inlet up or downstream from the outlet port. The gas flow is controlled by the electrical output produced by the cell.
The battery has a distributer used concurrently for Na amalgam and electrolyte. The throttling construction part (nozzle or slit) of the distributer to the individual cells is constantly purified by the flow of electrolyte mixed with V amalgam for distribution to prevent the part from being choked with impurities. This reduces cleaning required and allows long operation.
A thin layer of solid ceramic, suitable for use in a fuel cell is deposited by a vacuum evaporation technique. A ceramic compn. (pref. of mainly ZrO2) is made conductive (e.g. by partial redn) and is then bombarded with a focussed electron beam, to cause a thin layer to evaporate and deposit on an adjacent support. The process is carried out in a vacuum. Layers a few mu thick are possible by this simple method.
A granular structure of ion exchanger material whose grains are spherical or nearly so, of approx. equal size, i.e. between 0.1 and 5 mm. diameter or centre to centre spacing is impregnated with liquid electrolyte. The surface of the grains may be roughened and the plate may consist of a number of layers of differing physical characteristics. It may contain both soluble and insoluble components which exert some control on the cell reaction. The structure may be deliberately under wetted so that there is space for thermal expansion or reaction products.
This is prepared by carburising tungsten or tungsten oxide with carbon monoxide at elevated temperature. The carbon monoxide may be mixed with carbon dioxide preferably 0.1-60%. Suitable temperatures are between 600 and 1500 degrees C.    Tungsten carbide electrodes are suitable for use in fuel cells with acid electrolytes, particularly for the oxidation of hydrogen or carbon monoxide.
A heat transfer system comprises operating a fuel cell using hydrogen or hydrazine as the fuel, and nitric acid or nitrogen tetroxide as the oxidant. The cell absorbs heat from the surroundings and generates electrical energy which may be dissipated outside the area considered. The system is partic. useful as a cooling device in space vehicles etc., avoiding the need for radiator constructions and heat transfer liquids.
Losses of electrolyte, by leakage into fuel cell compartments through which the oxidising and reducing gases flow, are recovered by allowing the liquid to flow under gravity to traps in the separate gas circuits, from which it is passed to the main electrolyte recycle tank from which electrolyte passes through cell. Method avoids contact between gases and allows recovery of electrolyte lost by leakage or entrainment.
Individual cells, each of a fuel electrode to which hydrogenous gas is fed, a phosporic acid electrolyte in a microporous matrix, and an oxidation electrode to which air is fed, are sandwiched between bipolar plates whose opposite faces are grooved with cooling ribs which also form the channels for fuel and air supply. The air supply is controlled by a device responding to the temp. in the active area of the cells, so that the temp. gradient over the plates is held to within 5 degrees C. The fuel is derived from a reactor fed with ammonia using a proportion of the electrical output of the system to provide the energy for the ammonia cracker.
Two alternative interleaved types of sub-assembly are clamped together between two end sub-assembly and encapsulated in casting resin. The central sub-assemblies are provided with electrodes in one type and not the other, the remaining parts being diaphragms, support frames, spacer meshes, contact shims and sealing gaskets of polychlorbutadiene bonded or vulcanised to the diaphragms or shims as appropriate. The diaphragms are of asbestos.
A number of similar sub-assemblies are stacked in line between two end assemblies clamped together and encapsulated in casting resin. The sub-assemblies are various combinations of diaphragms, support frames, spacer meshes, sealing gaskets and electrodes, some of the piece parts having tubs and passages for reagent flow in and out. The gaskets of polychlorbutadiene are stuck or vulcanised to the contact shims and the diaphragms, the latter being of ashbestos. The rating of the battery depends on the number of common sub-assemblies stacked between the ends. Cell reactant is esp.
Two metallic gauzes, with supporting meshes of plastic material between them, are fixed by welding to each side of a plastic main frame and then covered by spraying first with a suspension of an ion exchanger in a solution of organic binder then with one or more layers of catalyst in a similar suspension. The same binder, namely polyisobutylene, may be used for both materials.
The fuel cell uses a liquid electrolyte as in principal patent application P1,496,241.5-45 and this electrolyte flows either into or out of the cell at the edge of one or more of the electrodes and/or diaphragms. This ensures a relatively uniform flow through the cell with consequent uniformity of chemic/electrical conversion and heat generation.
An alkaline fuel cell, using KOH electrolyte with air and methanol, is delimited by the two electrodes between which are placed anionic and cationic membranes such that a central compartment is formed. In this compartment the pH is sufficiently reduced to permit liberation of CO2 as a gas from the partially carbonated electrolyte, while the pH around either electrode is unaltered. Electrolyte penetrating into the anode compartment is recycled into the central compartment and electrolyte permeating the cathode compartment is recycled partially to the central compartment, and partially from the bottom to the top of the cathode compartment. Undesirable carbonation of electrolyte is prevented without expensive and elaborate procedures, involving insufficient consumption of fuel cell power.
A fuel cell, of the type in which water is produced as a reaction product and so dilutes the electrolyte, with an arrangement to prevent this dilution taking place. electrolyte concentrate is held in a retaining tray within the cell, positioned so that, when the increased water contant of the electrolyte raised the electrolyte level, the electrolyte concentrate mixes with the initial electrolyte to give an increase in concentration. Thus the cell can operate for long periods.
The battery has a silver oxide cathode, a hydrogen catalyst anode, an aqs. alkaline electrolyte and a separator between the electrodes. The separator comprises an inorganic material such as a solid solution of magnesium silicate and iron silicate, zirconia or alumina. Specif. the separator is a rigid, porous membrane and also contains a small amt. of an organic polymeric material.
The fluid electrode incorporates a particulate substrate coated with an electro-catalytically active material. The electrode is formed by cathode sputtering the substrate, reducing the ambient pressure to 125 mu Hg or less around the cathode and substrate, and establishing a sputtering current density of 0.01 to 5 mA/cm2 to deposit the electro-catalytically active material on the particles. The particles are then reorientated to expose portions initially blocked from the electro-catalytically active material, before the sputtering process was completed.
Na and S combine electrochemically to generate electric power. The cell unit comprises an Na-ion permeable electrolyte forming a fluid barrier and having first and second faces. Molten Na is kept adjacent to the first face and a current-collector, chemically inert to S and Na2S, is located at the second face to form at least one shallow flow passage for circulating S and sodium sulphides. Molten S is supplied to the passage and molten Na2S is removed. Pref. cell unit has several cells.
A fuel cell has a case with porous positive and negative electrodes inserted dividing the interior of the case into three sections. Electrolyte fills the inner section or space. Means for introducing an oxidizing gas into the space behind one porous electrode and a fuel behind the other are provided. The inner section is divided by a porous membrane substantially parallel to the electrodes comprising synthetic fibres, prepared from resin condensation products of phenols and aldehydes which can be fiberized and cured. This membrane permits communication of electrolyte between electrodes but prevents passage of small bubbles of oxidizing or fuel gases.
A circulation system for a fuel cell providing with a sodium supplying means, comprising a means for pushing out a sodium block having a fire prevention wall disposed between a storage of sodium block and an amalgamation cell and a means for pushing a sodium block into amalgam having a wire netting for fire prevention and a cutting tool.
Cell comprises a negative electrode of active material made of metal discharged into the electrolyte and the gas electrode is made of an oxidising agent, between the negative electrode and the gas electrode is a separator to prevent flowing of electrolyte, and electrolyte on side of the gas electrode is circulated.
Liquid fuel cell uses aqs. hydrazine and sodium borohydride as active liquids. A liquid mixture of fuel and electrolyte is fed to the back surface of the cathode, after providing liquid electrolyte between both electrodes, and discharge carried out. Contact of liquid fuel and anode as well as separation of carbon anode are prevented.
An oxidant is supplied to the cathode chamber of a fuel cell and ammonia vapour simultaneously supplied to the anode chamber. The anode and cathode are connected by an electrolyte and the ammonia vapour dissociated by contacting it with a catalyst material of Ir or an Ir alloy. The catalyst material is simultaneously heated and the dissociated gases supplied as fuel to the anode.
An amalgam exhaust device of a Na amalgam fuel cell has an anode-oxidiser or oxygen gas or air, a cathode fuel of a Na amalgam contg. Na dissolved in Hg. The amalgam exhaust means adapted to be always capable of eliminating the amalgam therein. Specif. device consists of a porous carbon electrode an electric collector having many holes, a lead wire an anode terminal an oxygen gas chamber having its inlet and outlet a cathode having a film like amalgam thereon, an amalgam supply pipe a cathode terminal, a lead wire a battery jar an electrolyte such as caustic soda an inlet for supply water or dilute electrolyte an exhaust pipe for exhausting the concentrated electrolyte which is overflowed over the brim of the cell into an amalgam exhaust device having an amalgam reservoir and an amalgam exhaust outlet and being capable of balancing the pressure of electrolyte with the head of the amalgam reservoir thus the amalgam in the reservoir is exhausted with the electrolyte-overflow which is fed through the concentrated electrolyte exhaust pipe, through the outlet.
The gas mixture flows, in series, through at least some of the gas spaces of the electrodes of one polarity. Blowing off inert gas mixed with residual reaction gas is controlled by the electric output of the last electrode. When the output of the last electrode drops to a predetermined value, a blow-off valve is opened.
The cell case contains an assembly of tubular electrochemically active elements held together (one above the other) by a gas feed tube sprung against the end of the elements. The feede tube supplies a first gas to the elements and a second gas for circulation inside the case. Pref. a zirconia or alumina layer (I) is deposited on those parts of the cell subjected to high temp. during operation to prevent reaction with or degradation of, the feed gases.    (I) is pref. produced by spraying onto the part at 200 - 250 degrees C a soln. contg. 2 mols/l of aluminium oxychlorate then heating at 700 - 800 degress C to form the alumina coating.
In a process for the electrochemical dissociation of a fused alkali metal halide esp. LiCl, in a cell having a cathode and 1 carbon or graphite anode comprising d.c. flow of current, the improvement is by first applying an a.c. of such magnitude (ca. 15a/cm2 of electrode) and duration (ca. 100 millisecs) as to plate sufficient free alkali metal onto anode(s) to increase the current density which may subsequently applied before high resistance anode polarisation occurs.
Battery gases utilised in fuel cells. In a sealed, rechargeable, secondary, high-energy density storage battery having electrolyte and an electrode pair (one being Ni or pref. Ag, the other Cd or pref. Zn), press. due to H2 and/or O2 generation during charging is relieved by gas removal through a conduit to an external fuel cell where it functions as an oxidant and/or a fuel to produce electrical energy.
Fuel cell amalgam prodn Compressed molten Na is fed through a feeding pipe into an injecting pipe; the Na amount is controlled by a needle valve and injected into a flow of Hg or dilute Na amalgam discharged from the Na-O fuel cell. After the desired amalgam concn. is reached, the flow is again fed into the fuel cell. A heater is provided around the Na injecting pipe to heat it to 150-350 degrees C, and the molten Na and Na amalgam passages are heat insulated. Precipitation of concentrated Na amalgam is completely prevented to enable the continuous operation of the fuel cell for long periods of time.
An agitator is provided in an amalgamating vessel on an inclined the rotating shaft, carrying a tray-shaped blade and a bowl-shaped blade fixed to form a circular aperture between them; most of the blade assembly is dipped in a Na amalgam bath. A Na feeding pipe is provided in the ceiling of the vessel drips molten Na through the circular opening. The Na amalgam splashes caused by the impingement of the Na drips stick to the inner faces of the tray and bowl shaped blades and are dissolved instantly in the Na amalgam bath by rotating the shaft, clogging of the amalgam feed pipes for the fuel cell is eliminated and the fuel cell can be operated continuously for one month or more.
A liquid/liquid mixt or soln is contacted with one side of a porous layer. The mixture or soln wets, but does not flow through, the layer. The components that vaporise emerge from the pores in the opposite face of the layer and pass into a diffusion space. The vapours are condensed, in equipment having a temperature lower than that of the mixture or soln. The condensed components are finally removed.
The cell comprises an anode, a cathode conductor and a depolarising cathode, in which the cathode conductor and depolarising cathode are in contact. The depolarising cathode is either a fine mercurous salt which forms ammoniated mercuric salt and metallic mercury when in contact with the anhydroux liquid ammonia, or a mixture of fine ammoniated mercuric salt and metallic mercury. Specif. the mercurous salt is mercurous sulphate, chloride, bromide, fluoride or chromate, or a mixture of 2 of these.
Fuel cell with solid fuel and liquid oxidising agent. This cell comprises a metal anode (preferably Zn) as a solid fuel, and an electrolyte serving as a liquid oxidising agent (pref. K2Cr2O7+ H2SO4). The cathode (e.g. graphite) is preferably executed in the form of a cylinder which is enclosed at the bottom and the top, thus forming a cell housing. The solid fuel and the electrolyte can be supplemented. The cell can be used as a reserve battery by keeping the electrolyte in a plastic envelope, which is pierced before use. As nascent hydrogen participates in the electrochemical reaction, the voltage of the cell is unusually high (2.1 V open circuit). The construction of the cell is simple, and it can be executed in relatively small dimensions.
A laminated assembly of a thin solid electrolyte of RbAg4I5 or Ag3SI sandwiched between a thin anode of silver or a material containing silver and a thin cathode of tellurium, selenium or a material containing tellurium or selenium. The electrolyte and cathode can be easily formed by vacuum evaporation deposition and a layer-built solid-electrolyte cell fabricated by successive repetitions of the evaporation procedure to build up a plurality of unit cells in stacked formation.
Process comprises reacting alkali metal and Al, in more ratio is approx. 0.9:3 to is approx. 1.1 : 1, with H2, under superatmos. press. and is approx. 50-200 degrees C. in the presence of (I) a catalyst, pref. 0.1 to is approx. 10 wt.% (based on Al and alkali metal) 1,4-diazabicyclo(2,2,2)-octane and (II) a suitable reaction medium; and recovering solid, crystalline alkali metal aluminium hydride. Prod. is useful as a source of H2 in e.g. fuel cells.
A fuel cell in which there are porous fuel and oxygen electrodes and an interposed porous matrix containing an electrolyte and in which an excess of hydrocarbon fluid fuel is introduced into the fuel electrode compartment and is forced through the fuel electrode, the electrolyte matrix, and the oxygen electrode, and out through an exhaust passage in the oxygen electrode compartment to carry with it any reaction products occurring at the fuel and oxygen electrodes. The reaction products are removed by a relatively small excess of fuel.
An asbestos diaphragm impregnated with electrolyte is positioned between the supporting structure and each of a pair of spaced, thin (1-100 mu) electrodes. The supporting structure is porous and impregnated with large pore nickel mesh and next to electrodes fine pore mesh.
A fuel battery is provided having an electrolyte element, such as a matrix immobilized electrolyte or ion exchange structure, carrying first and second segmented electrodes on opposite faces.    The electrode segments are in series. Fluid reactant is distributed to the first electrode segments through one or more channels which direct the fluid reactant to flow serially across the electrode segments along laterally spaced interconnected courses which are free of interconnection mediate their ends. this causes fluid inerts present in the fluid reactant to be collected in the terminal courses so taht the fluid inerts are distributed between the electrode segments.
A fuel cell battery having unitized duplex fuel cells, each being comprised of conventional fuel cell elements. The unitized duplex cells are mounted in the battery such that each cell operates independently of all other cells in the battery. A fluid fuel circulates inside each duplex cell and a fluid reactant circulates between adjacent duplex cells, thereby permitting each cell to be removed for repair or replacement without the disassembly of the entire battery. A common fuel reactant cavity is provided for adjacent cells which make up one duplex cell, and a common O2-contng reactant cavity for adjacent duplex cells, to promote indpendent duplex cell operation and efficient temp. control by control of the O2-contng reactant temp.
Before its feed to the generator, the air is contacted in a decarbonation area with a CO2 absorbant. At the generator outlet the air, whose temperature has increased in the generator, is replaced in contact with the CO2 absorbent in a desorption area. Consequently the air is charged with CO2. Devices permit the absorbant to travel between the decarbonation and desorption areas. Specifically, partic. application is to air-hydrogen fuel-cells.
The porosity is improved by the use of an inert covering layer and a layer of powdered catalyst, the particle size of the powder increasing progressively with increased distance of the particles from the inert layer. The catalyst layer is pref. 1 to 300 microns thick and the particle diameters is pref. 0.5 to 100 microns. A suspension is made by stirring the powdered catalyst into a liquid of lower specific gravity, and precipitation is carried out onto a metallic gauze. Finally the inert layer is added.
Supply means for both fuel gas and oxidant gas to fuel cell include a chamber adjacent to the appropriate electrode, the chamber being provided at its ends with a two-pass valve for reversing the gas flow periodically.
Fuel cell has chlorine as anode active material more than one of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, alcohol, and hydrocarbon serving as cathode active material; and pasty electrolyte made by mixing aluminium oxide with metal chloride or non-metal chloride.
Method comprises obtaining a measure of the optical absorption (or transmission) by the soln. of infra-red radiation, the wavelength of which is within one of the ranges 0.95-0.98 mu, 0.99-1.05 mu, 1.07-1.14 mu and 1.17-1.31 mu. The measurement can be used to maintain the concentration of the aqs. KOH soln. within a preselected range, e.g. when such solns are employed in fuel cells for driving motor vehicles.
The process relates to electrochemical generators and fuel batteries having a porous., waterproof layer, through which run gas circulation channels or passages and an active layer on their two faces. The electrodes have an inlet and, possibly, an outlet for the gas feeding the channels, and current collectors are provided. Specifically one electrode is housed at least once in the separator. More specifically the separator consists of a sheet of regenerated cellulose e.g. "cellophane" (RTM).
One part of the electrode consists of a material which is impermeable to liquids, but permeable to gases. This part is arranged above the normal level which the electrolyte surrounding the electrode reaches. This establishes a connection for the gases only between the channels within the electrode and the exterior of the electrode.