A method of making an electrode by providing a mixture of first particles of silver or silver oxide and second particles of an inorganic porogen, molding the mixture, cohering the mixture to form a green body, demolding the green body, heating the green body to form a monolith, to convert any silver oxide to silver, and to fuse the first particles together, and submerging the monolith in a liquid that removes the second particles.

An apparatus and method of providing an apparatus, the apparatus comprising: an electrode comprising metal; an anode comprising a composite of halide salt and conductive carbon based material wherein the anode is deposited on the electrode; a cathode comprising metal; and a solid electrolyte provided between the cathode and the anode.

An apparatus and method of providing an apparatus, the apparatus comprising: an electrode comprising metal; an anode comprising a composite of halide salt and conductive carbon based material wherein the anode is deposited on the electrode; a cathode comprising metal; and a solid electrolyte provided between the cathode and the anode.

An alkaline secondary battery having excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristics is provided. The alkaline secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode contains a silver oxide. The negative electrode contains zinc-based particles selected from the group consisting of zinc particles and zinc alloy particles. The separator holds an alkaline electrolyte solution. An anion conductive membrane is disposed between the negative electrode and the separator. The anion conductive membrane includes a polymer as a matrix and particles of at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, metal sulfates, metal phosphates, metal borates, and metal silicates, which are dispersed in the matrix.

An alkaline secondary battery having excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristics is provided. The alkaline secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode contains a silver oxide. The negative electrode contains zinc-based particles selected from the group consisting of zinc particles and zinc alloy particles. The separator holds an alkaline electrolyte solution. An anion conductive membrane is disposed between the negative electrode and the separator. The anion conductive membrane includes a polymer as a matrix and particles of at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, metal sulfates, metal phosphates, metal borates, and metal silicates, which are dispersed in the matrix.

An anode of a battery includes active material particles each coated with a metal oxide to form a nanoscale conformal shell there around. The shells are configured to, during charge, confine reduction of the active material particles to within the shells and to prevent dendritic growth and shape change.

An anode of a battery includes active material particles each coated with a metal oxide to form a nanoscale conformal shell there around. The shells are configured to, during charge, confine reduction of the active material particles to within the shells and to prevent dendritic growth and shape change.

A multi-functional battery separator comprises two or more active separator layers deposited from different polymer solutions to form a multilayered unitary structure comprising a free-standing film, a multiplex film on one side of a porous substrate, or separate films or multiplex films on opposite sides of a porous substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the cascade coating method is used to simultaneously deposit the active separator layers wet so that the physical, electrical and morphological changes associated with the polymer drying out process are avoided or minimized. The multi-functional separator is inexpensive to fabricate, exhibits enhanced ionic conductivity and ionic barrier properties, and eliminates gaps between individual layers in a separator stack that can contribute to battery failure.

Provided is an alloy powder for an electrode which enables an alkaline storage battery to have both excellent discharge characteristics and excellent life characteristics. The alloy powder includes a hydrogen storage alloy including an element L, Mg, Ni, Al, and an element M.sup.a. The element L is at least one selected from the group consisting of group 3 elements and group 4 elements of the periodic table (excluding Y). The element M.sup.a is at least two selected from the group consisting of Ge, Y, and Sn. A molar proportion x of Mg in a total of the element L and Mg is 0.008x0.54. A molar proportion y of Ni, a molar proportion of Al, and a molar proportion of the element M.sup.a, per the foregoing total is 1.6y4, 0.0080.32, and 0.010.12, respectively.

Provided is an alloy powder for an electrode which enables an alkaline storage battery to have both excellent discharge characteristics and excellent life characteristics. The alloy powder includes a hydrogen storage alloy including an element L, Mg, Ni, Al, and an element M.sup.a. The element L is at least one selected from the group consisting of group 3 elements and group 4 elements of the periodic table (excluding Y). The element M.sup.a is at least two selected from the group consisting of Ge, Y, and Sn. A molar proportion x of Mg in a total of the element L and Mg is 0.008x0.54. A molar proportion y of Ni, a molar proportion of Al, and a molar proportion of the element M.sup.a, per the foregoing total is 1.6y4, 0.0080.32, and 0.010.12, respectively.