US5168018A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of manufacturing zinc-alkaline batteries
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1991-05-13
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Granted: 1992-12-01
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Expires: 2011-05-13
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a mercury-free zinc-alkaline battery giving no environmental pollution and having an excellent shelf stability which comprises a corrosion-resistant zinc alloy as an anode active material, an indium compound having appropriate properties, an aqueous alkaline solution as an electrolyte and optionally a fluorine-containing surfactant having the specified chemical structure. The indium compound is indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared by neutralizing an aqueous solution of an indium salt. The surfactant has a hydrophilic part of a polyethylene oxide and an oleophilic part of a fluoroalkyl group. The zinc alloy contains a proper amount of at least one of the group of indium, lead, bismuth, lithium, calcium and aluminum. The indium hydroxide or indium sulfide is present in an amount of 0.005 to 0.5 wt % and the surfactant in an amount of 0.001 to 0.1 wt %, based on the weight of the zinc alloy, respectively. Furthermore, the indium hydroxide and indium sulfide in a powder form contain 60 wt % or more of particles having a particle size of 0.5 to 8 μm. The indium hydroxide has a weight loss of 18 to 30 wt % when thermally decomposed at up to 900° C. and a powdery X-ray diffraction pattern having peaks at 4.71±0.10 Å, 3.98±0.02 Å, 3.57±0.10 Å and 2.66±0.02 Å.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Yoshizawa
- 👤 Akira Miura
- 👤 Yoshiaki Nitta
- 👤 Sachiko Sugihara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:45
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22C; C22C18/00; H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M4/36; C01; C01G; C01G15/00; H01M4/06; H01M4/08; H01M4/12; H01M4/38; H01M4/42; H01M4/62; H01M6/00; H01M6/04; H01M6/06; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of manufacturing a zinc-alkaline battery, which comprises dispersing a zinc alloy powder as an active material in a gel-like alkaline electrolyte to prepare a gel-like anode, said zinc alloy containing at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of indium, lead, bismuth, lithium, calcium and aluminum and said alkaline electrolyte containing indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared from a indium salt as starting material by neutralizing an aqueous solution of said salt, said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide being contained in an amount of 0.005 to 0.5 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of manufacturing a zinc-alkaline battery, which comprises dispersing a zinc alloy powder as an active material in a gel-like alkaline electrolyte to prepare a gel-like anode, said zinc alloy containing at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of indium, lead, bismuth, lithium, calcium and aluminum and said alkaline electrolyte containing indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared from a indium salt as starting material by neutralizing an aqueous solution of said salt, said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide being contained in an amount of 0.005 to 0.5 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the zinc alloy containing 0.01 to 1 wt % of indium and 0.005 to 0.5 wt % in total of one or two of lead and bismuth is used as the anode active material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the zinc alloy containing 0.01 to 1 wt % of indium, 0.005 to 0.5 wt % of one or two in total of lead and bismuth and 0.005 to 0.2 wt % in total of one or more of lithium, calcium and aluminum is used as the anode active material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said indium salt is indium chloride or indium sulfate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said indium salt is indium nitrate or indium sulfate, and said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide is prepared by neutralizing an aqueous solution of said indium salt containing chloride ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the powder of the indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared contains 60 wt % or more of particles having a particle size of 0.5 to 8 μm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said indium hydroxide has a weight loss of 18 to 30 wt % when thermally decomposed at a temperature of up to 900° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said indium hydroxide has a powdery X-ray diffraction pattern having peaks at 4.71±0.10 Å, 3.98±0.02 Å, 3.57±0.10 Å and 2.66±0.02 Å.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide, an alkali metal sulfide is added in an amount of 0.002 to 0.2 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy to said gel-like alkaline electrolyte.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of manufacturing a zinc-alkaline battery, which comprises dispersing a zinc alloy powder as an active material in a gel-like alkaline electrolyte to prepare a gel-like anode, said zinc alloy containing at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of indium, lead, bismuth, lithium, calcium and aluminum and said alkaline electrolyte containing indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared from an indium salt as starting material by neutralizing an aqueous solution of said salt, said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide being contained in an amount of 0.005 to 0.5 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy and further containing a surfactant having a hydrophilic part of polyethylene oxide and an oleophilic part of a fluoroalkyl group in an amount of 0.001 to 0.1 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of manufacturing a zinc-alkaline battery, which comprises dispersing a zinc alloy powder as an active material in a gel-like alkaline electrolyte to prepare a gel-like anode, said zinc alloy containing at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of indium, lead, bismuth, lithium, calcium and aluminum and said alkaline electrolyte containing indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared from an indium salt as starting material by neutralizing an aqueous solution of said salt, said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide being contained in an amount of 0.005 to 0.5 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy and further containing a surfactant having a hydrophilic part of polyethylene oxide and an oleophilic part of a fluoroalkyl group in an amount of 0.001 to 0.1 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the zinc alloy containing 0.01 to 1 wt % of indium and 0.005 to 0.5 wt % in total of one or two of lead and bismuth is used as the anode active material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the zinc alloy containing 0.01 to 1 wt % of indium, 0.005 to 0.5 wt % of one or two in total of lead and bismuth and 0.005 to 0.2 wt % in total of one or more of lithium, calcium and aluminum is used as the anode active material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said indium salt is indium chloride or indium sulfate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said indium salt is indium nitrate or indium sulfate, and said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide is prepared by neutralizing an aqueous solution of said indium salt containing chloride ions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the powder of the indium hydroxide or indium sulfide prepared contains 60 wt % or more of particles having a particle size of 0.5 to 8 μm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said indium hydroxide has a weight loss of 18 to 30 wt % when thermally decomposed at a temperature of up to 900° C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said indium hydroxide has a powdery X-ray diffraction pattern having peaks at 4.71±0.10 Å, 3.98±0.02 Å, 3.57±0.10 Å and 2.66±0.02 Å.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
107 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said alkaline electrolyte contains a surfactant having the formula (X)--C.sub.n F.sub.2n --(Y)--(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m --(Z) wherein X is --H or --F, Y is --C 2 H 4 --O--CH 2 CH(OH)--CH 2 O--, --CONH or --SO 2 NR wherein R is --H or an alkyl group, Z is --CH 3 , --PO 3 W 2 or --SO 3 W wherein W is an alkali metal, n is in the range of 4 to 10, and m is in the range of 20 to 100, in an amount of 0.001 to 0.1 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said alkaline electrolyte contains a surfactant having the formula of (X)--C.sub.n F.sub.2n --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m --(Z) wherein X is --H or --F, Z is --CH 3 --PO 3 W 2 or --SO 3 W wherein W is an alkali metal, n is in the range of 4 to 10 and m is in the range of 40 to 100, in an amount of 0.001 to 0.1 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein in addition to said indium hydroxide or indium sulfide, an alkali metal sulfide is added in an amount of 0.002 to 0.2 wt % based on the weight of said zinc alloy to said gel-like alkaline electrolyte.
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