TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Fuel Cell: The fuel cell is further provided with a hydrogen electrode (20) containing an active material (21) having hydrogen storage capacity. The hydrogen electrode active material is a hydrogen storage alloy which does not include noble metal catalysts. The hydrogen electrode additionally includes a substrate component which provides only for electrical conductivity and comprises an electrically conductive powder intimately mixed with the hydrogen storage material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Elements: The active redox couple is modified using modifier element(s) chosen from lithium, boron, silicon, aluminum, nickel, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, Misch metal, tin, mercury, lead, gallium, and their alloys, preferably lithium. The modifier element is alloyed with aluminum, boron or silicon, to form a non-reactive modifier element. The oxygen electrode further comprises a current collector extending within the active material, and a catalytic carbon component. The current collector comprises an electrically conductive mesh, grid, foam or expanded metal.Preferred Alloy: The hydrogen storage alloy is alkaline earth-nickel alloy, rare earth/Misch metal alloy, zirconium alloy, and/or titanium alloy. The hydrogen storage alloy has a composition given by, (base alloy)aCobMncFedSne, where the base alloy comprises 0.1-60 atomic% of titanium, 0.1-40 atomic% of zirconium, 0-60 atomic% of vanadium, 0.1-57 atomic% of nickel, and 0-56 atomic% of chromium, b is 0-7.5 atomic%, c is 13-17 atomic%, d is 0-3.5 atomic%, e is 0-1.5 atomic%, and a+b+c+d+e is 100 atomic%.Preferred Powder: The electrically conductive powder comprises copper, copper alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, and/or carbon. The substrate component comprises an electrically conductive mesh, grid, foam, matte, foil, plate, or expanded metal made of nickel, copper and/or their alloys.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The active redox couple material comprises a metal or metal oxide couple of copper, silver, zinc and/or cadmium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The oxygen electrode further comprises a hydrophobic component comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The PTFE is intimately mixed with the active material, graded within the active material, or is a separate layer within the oxygen electrode. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - The active redox couple material is nickel hydroxide or nickel oxy hydroxide.