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High Cycle Life, High Rate Nickel Zinc Batteries

This document summarizes research into developing high cycle life, high rate nickel-zinc batteries. The research is focused on (1) developing separator systems resistant to zinc penetration shorts, (2) selecting mercury substitutes to reduce zinc anode shape change on cycling, and (3) developing a semi-sealed oxygen cycle battery with pressure cutoff control. Recent work tested nickel-coated separator wraps resistant to shorts over 53 cycles and batteries with pressure cutoff achieving over 200 cycles. Major challenges are developing a stable nickelized separator and gelled zinc anode media.

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Marco Miranda Rodríguez
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130 views2 pages

High Cycle Life, High Rate Nickel Zinc Batteries

This document summarizes research into developing high cycle life, high rate nickel-zinc batteries. The research is focused on (1) developing separator systems resistant to zinc penetration shorts, (2) selecting mercury substitutes to reduce zinc anode shape change on cycling, and (3) developing a semi-sealed oxygen cycle battery with pressure cutoff control. Recent work tested nickel-coated separator wraps resistant to shorts over 53 cycles and batteries with pressure cutoff achieving over 200 cycles. Major challenges are developing a stable nickelized separator and gelled zinc anode media.

Uploaded by

Marco Miranda Rodríguez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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333 ’

2 H. N. Seiger, A critique of the zinc electrode in alkaline secondary batteries, 154th


Meeting Electrochem. Sot., Pittsburgh, 1978.

HIGH CYCLE LIFE, HIGH RATE NICKEL-ZINC BATTERIES

Power Sources Division, US Army Electronics Technology and Devices Laboratory


(ERADCOM), Fort Monmouth, NJ 07703 (U.S.A.)

General purpose/goals

This project is being jointly funded by the Departments of Energy,


Navy and the Army. The objectives of the project being conducted by
ERADCOM are: (a) to develop and evaluate new separator systems for
nickel/zinc cells which are resistant to zinc penetration shorts, (b) selection
of successful mercury substitutes in the zinc anode which reduce the rate of
shape change (corrosion and slumping) on cycling, and (c) the development
of a semi-sealed nickel-zinc battery which operates on the oxygen cycle and
is maintenance-free by means of pressure cutoff control on charge.
It is projected that the above concept will provide for a cost effective
nickel-zinc battery which will exceed 300 deep cycles with a capacity
retention of over 80% and have an energy density over 35 W h/lb, based on
rated capacity.
(1) Nickel-zinc cells with separator wraps consisting of two 0.001 in.
nickel-coated, microporous polypropylene layers sandwiched between two
0.001 in. layers of uncoated membranes were resistant to shorting during 53
deep C/5 rate cycles with overcharges of 250% per cycle. These cells delivered
90% of theoretical capacity (nickel limiting) during the 53 cycles. Cells with
uncoated separator wraps shorted intermittently during the 53 cycles and
delivered 66% of theoretical at cycle 53.
(2) Capacity retentions of 85 - 88% of initial values were obtained after
110 cycles at 80% depth of discharge (at the C/5 rates of charge and dis-
charge) with 5.0 A h nickel-zinc cells having the following features:
(a) pressure cutoff on charge at 8 psig;
(b) c.p. charging at 1.89 V/cell;
(c) an anode composition of 95% ZnO, 2% CdO, 1% PbO, and 2% Teflon;
(d) electrolyte starved, using 34% KOH + 1% LiOH;
(e) a separator system consisting of thin cellulosic layers sandwiched
between two protective layers of 0.001 in. microporous polypropylene;
(f) a safety venting at 10 psig + 0.5 psig.
Work is presently being directed towards (a) immobilizing the nickel
layer of the separator system within the cationic region, which is sandwiched
between two nondegradable layers of microporous polypropylene (to
prevent contamination of the zinc anodes), (b) evaluating mercury substitutes
334

with high hydrogen over-potentials (Pb, Tl, Cd and In) in concentration


ranges of 0.5 - 5% so as further to improve the gas suppression and stability
of the zinc anode on cycling, and (c) testing 4 cell batteries with a pressure
switch attached to one cell, the pilot cell (at present a 3 cell unit with one
pilot cell has attained over 200 cycles with excellent cell balance).

Major technical problems

The primary failure mode of the nickel-zinc battery is shorting by zinc


penetration. The second major failure of this battery is shape change (erosion)
of the zinc anodes. The first failure m,ode is catastrophic and occasionally
premature, while the second mode is slow but cumulative. The major thrust
against the shorting problem is by means of the nickelized separator system.
Preventative methods include preventing overcharge by means of pressure
cutoff controls, designing the cells as sealed units which operate on the
oxygen cycle, and by employing constant potential and/or pulsed charging
modes. The shape change problem is being approached by (a) additives in
the zinc anode which suppress gassing and behave as corrosion inhibitors and
expanders, (b) agitative systems that prevent zinc oxide precipitation and
severe electro-osmotic pumping effects, and (c) developing a stable, high,
ionic conducting cationic gelled media for the zinc anode.
The areas requiring considerable work are the stable nickelized separa-
tor - this work is being primarily carried out by Celanese Plastics Company
- and the gelled media for the zinc anodes. It is estimated that these two
tasks will reach a successful conclusion by the end of 1980, after which the
follow-up will be mainly with battery design, construction and testing.

Recent publications

0. C. Wagner, High cycle life, high rate nickel-zinc batteries, Report No. 1, US Army
Electronics Technology and Devices Laboratory (ERADCOM), March 1978, Report
No. PSD-1 C.
0. C. Wagner, High cycle life, high rate nickel-zinc batteries, Report No. 2, US Army
Electronics Technology and Devices Laboratory (ERADCOM), March 1979, Report
No. PSD-2C.
0. C. Wagner, High cycle life, high rate nickel-zinc batteries, August 1979, Extended
Abstract in the Extended Abstracts of the Battery Division of the Electrochemical
Society, Inc., for the Fall (Ott 79) Los Angeles Meeting.

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