Development of lightweight nickel electrodes for zinc/nickel oxide cells

✍ Scribed by Waltraud Taucher; Thomas C. Adler; Frank R. McLarnon; Elton J. Cairns

• Book ID: 103900074
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 473 KB
• Volume: 58
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0378-7753
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-7753(96)02327-0

✦ Synopsis

A method for fabricating lightweight nickel electrodes has been developed by electrochemical impregnation of two different nickel fiber subslmtes. The electrochemical impregnation technique was applied galvanostatically at 35-50 mA/cm 2 in acidic solutions of nickel and cobalt nitrates (pH--3). The nickel and cobalt contents of impregnated and formed electrodes was analyzed with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and the amount of active nickel hydroxide was calculated. NiOOH electrode cycle-life performance testing was carried out in alkaline electrolyte (4.2-6.9 M KOH, 1 M LiOH) at a '-, C/5 rate during charge and discharge. Electrodes based on substrate materials of high porosity (90%, FN 090 Nickel Felt, Sompec) deliver excellent specific capacities of ! 33-145 mAh/g in moderately alkaline electrolyte (4.2 M KOH) with an active material utilization of 67-95% depending on the quantity of co-precipitated cobalt (1.3-8.3%). NiOOH electrodes using substrates with lower porosity (81%, Fibrex 50150=fibertNi powder, National Standard) obtain very stable specific capacities (400 cycles) of 91-93 mAh/g with a utilization rote of 110% in highly alkaline electrolytes (6.9 M KOH).