The present technology provides a battery that includes an air cathode, an anode, an aqueous electrolyte that includes an amphoteric surfactant, and a housing that includes one or more air access ports defining a total area of void space (“vent area”), where (1) the battery is a size 13 metal-air battery and the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.050 mm.sup.2 to about 0.115 mm.sup.2; or (2) the battery is a size 312 metal-air battery and the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.03 mm.sup.2 to about 0.08 mm.sup.2.

A battery includes an air cathode, an anode, an aqueous electrolyte, and a housing, wherein the housing includes one or more air access ports defining a total vent area; the battery exhibits a cell limiting current at 1.15V; a ratio of cell limiting current at 1.15 V to total vent area is greater than about 100 mA/mm.sup.2; and the aqueous electrolyte includes an amphoteric fluorosurfactant.

Electrochemical cells are provided, wherein a metal ion is adsorbed to a manganese dioxide- or carbon-containing electrode due to the addition of a metal additive to the cell's electrolyte and/or cathode. Methods for preparing such cells are also provided. In particular embodiments, the electrochemical cells are alkaline electrochemical cells, and the electrode contains manganese dioxide.

Novel pulsed aluminum batteries (PAlBs), including power output regulated systems, have been developed. PAlBs comprise an aluminum anode, a cathode, and a complex electrolyte containing bases, facilitating and stabilizing agents, and may contain internal oxidizers. The aluminum anode comprises technical grade or recycled aluminum. The cathode may comprise copper, nickel, or platinum. Bases may comprise sodium or potassium hydroxide. Facilitating and stabilizing agents may comprise sodium and lithium chlorides or sulfates. Internal oxidizers may comprise sodium hypochlorite. Frequency of electric pulses in novel PAlBs can be controlled by electric or chemical means. PAlBs can be used as components of backup power systems, in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in autonomous self-powered electrochemical computing systems and sensors.

Methods and systems for providing battery backup power to a home or other building are disclosed. Methods and systems include a fluid container holding an electrolyte solution. The electrolyte solution is prevented from flowing through an array of galvanic cells having annular flow paths via a fluid flow control mechanism, such as a valve, which is energized by an external power source. When the external power source is removed, such as during a power outage, the fluid flow control mechanism is deenergized and electrolyte solution is allowed to flow through the galvanic cell array, generating electric current. Energy produced by the system then powers the home or other building until the external power source returns, which in turn closes the fluid flow control mechanism and ceases energy production by the system.

A material for use as an electrode in an electrochemical storage device, the material including: a composite including at least one manganese oxide and at least one ion-active carbon. An electrode for an electrochemical storage device and an electrochemical storage device is also disclosed.

An alkaline electrochemical cell has a central cathode having a corresponding cathode current collector electrically connected with a positive terminal of the electrochemical cell. The cathode current collector has a tubular shape, such as a cylindrical shape or rectangular shape, extending parallel with the length of the central cathode. The cathode current collector is embedded within the central cathode, such as at a medial point of a radius of the central cathode, thereby minimizing the distance between the cathode current collector and any portion of the central cathode, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the cathode and facilitating charge transfer to the cathode current collector.

An alkaline electrochemical cell has a central cathode having a corresponding cathode current collector electrically connected with a positive terminal of the electrochemical cell. The cathode current collector has a tubular shape, such as a cylindrical shape or rectangular shape, extending parallel with the length of the central cathode. The cathode current collector is embedded within the central cathode, such as at a medial point of a radius of the central cathode, thereby minimizing the distance between the cathode current collector and any portion of the central cathode, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the cathode and facilitating charge transfer to the cathode current collector.

An alkaline battery comprises an anode, a cathode, a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, and an electrolyte in fluid communication with the anode, the cathode, and the separator. The separator comprises at least one ion selective layer that can include at least one of graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, functionalized graphene, or combinations thereof. This can allow the ion selective layer to be configured to selectively block zincate ions.

To counteract the potentially destructive effects of temperature increases in primary batteries during short circuit conditions, a current interrupt may be positioned within an anode conductive path. The current interrupt may comprise a thermoplastic substrate having a low glass transition temperature, and having a conductive coating thereon to form a portion of the anode conductive path. During a short circuit, the temperature within the battery increases above the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic substrate, thereby causing the current interrupt to deform, thereby degrading the portion of the anode conductive path defined by the current interrupt, decreasing the amount of current flowing through the anode conductive path, and effectively limiting the temperature increase within the battery interior.