Zinc/air cell cathode

Claim 2

A metal/air depolarized cell comprising a metal anode, a hydrophobic catalytic cathode and a separator therebetween and a fluid alkaline electrolyte characterized in that said separator is adheringly laminated to said cathode by means of a material capable of absorbing said electrolyte which is integrated with the surface of said cathode adjacent said separator.

Claim 3

The cell of claim 1 wherein said metal is zinc.

Claim 4

The cell of claim 1 wherein said material is a gelling material.

Claim 5

The cell of claim 3 wherein said anode is gelled with a gelling agent and said gelling material has substantially the same absorbency with respect to said fluid alkaline electrolyte as said gelling agent.

Claim 6

The cell of claim 4 wherein said gelling agent in said anode and said gelling material are the same.

Claim 7

The cell of claim 3 wherein said gelling material is selected from the group consisting of starch graft copolymers, Xanthan gum, cross-linked polyacrylamides, cross-linked CMC, cross-linked polyacrylic acid, alkali saponified polyacrylonitrile and polyacrylic acid.

Claim 8

The cell of claim 6 wherein said separator is comprised of a member of the group consisting of microporous polypropylene, microporous polyethylene, polyvinychloride (PVC), cellophane, and acrylonitrile.

Claim 9

The cell of claim 7 wherein said gelling material is homogeneously dispersed within said cathode.

Claim 10

The cell of claim 8 wherein said gelling material comprises from 2% to 20% by weight of said cathode.

Claim 11

The cell of claim 7 wherein said gelling material is integrated to said cathode surface by having been compressed thereon.

Claim 12

The cell of claim 10 wherein said cell is in a button type cell configuration with the diameter of said cell being in excess of 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).

Claim 13

A zinc/air electrochemical cell comprising a powdered zinc anode gelled with an electrolyte absorbent gelling material; a void volume to accommodate anode expansion during dischage; a catalytic hydrophobic cathode comprised of carbon, a hydrophobic PTFE binder, an MnO 2 catalyst and a metal substrate; an alkaline electrolyte and a separator, between said anode and cathode, comprised of a member of the group consisting of microporons polypropylene, microporous polyethylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC), cellophane, and acrylonitrile; characterized in that a gelling material of substantially the same alkaline electrolyte absorbency as the gelling material in said anode is integrated with the surface of said cathode adjacent said separator whereby said separator is adhered thereby to said cathode to substantially retard delamination between said cathode and separator resulting from movement of said anode into said void space.

Claim 14

A zinc/air electrochemical cell comprising a powdered zinc anode gelled with an electrolyte absorbent gelling material; a void volume to accommodate anode expansion during dischage; a catalytic hydrophobic cathode comprised of carbon, a hydrophobic PTFE binder, an MnO 2 catalyst and a metal substrate; an alkaline electrolyte and a separator, between said anode and cathode, comprised of a member of the group consisting of microporons polypropylene, microporous polyethylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC), cellophane, and acrylonitrile; characterized in that a gelling material of substantially the same alkaline electrolyte absorbency as the gelling material in said anode is integrated with the surface of said cathode adjacent said separator whereby said separator is adhered thereby to said cathode to substantially retard delamination between said cathode and separator resulting from movement of said anode into said void space.

Claim 15

The cell of claim 12 wherein said separator is comprised of microporous polypropylene.

Claim 16

The cell of claim 12 wherein said gelling material is homogeneously dispersed within said cathode.

Claim 17

The cell of claim 14 wherein said gelling material comprises from 2% to 20% by weight of said cathode.

Claim 18

The cell of claim 12 wherein said gelling material is integrated to said cathode surface by having been compressed thereon.

Claim 19

The cell of claim 12 wherein said cell is in a button type cell configuration with the diameter of said cell being in excess of 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).