Conventionally in the production of NiMH batteries, nickel electrodes are pressed from nickel oxide/hydroxide slurry or paste into porous sintered or nonsintered nickel foam current collectors. These conventional methods of introducing the active nickel oxide/hydroxide material cannot be used for porous current collectors because the nickel oxide particles are too large to be mechanically introduced into the current collector`s pores. LLNL has developed a process to electroplate nickel or nickel (cobalt) oxide into the small pores of porous current collectors.
LLNL has developed a method for electroplating nickel oxide/hydroxide electrode materials with very high energy- and power density onto a current collector. The method is especially suitable for coating porous current collectors with high surface areas.
- The LLNL method produces active nickel oxide/hydroxide material that can stably store 1.33 electrons per Ni atom whereas the state of the art active materials store about 0.4 electrons per Ni atom.
- The LLNL method produces an active Ni material that combines high activity with stability.
- LLNL’s active Ni material can be charged/discharged exceptionally fast (>100C) with efficiency and without significant loss of charge or stability.
The nickel (cobalt) oxide/hydroxide constitutes the redox active material of the nickel electrode. This nickel electrode is the cathode in rechargeable (secondary) batteries such as nickel-zinc, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, and nickel-hydrogen batteries. The advantages of active Ni material deposited by the LLNL method enable rechargeable batteries with improved energy densities, power densities, durability, and precision control of loading.
LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.