Provided is a battery including a positive electrode; a negative electrode; an electrolytic solution being an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; and a layered double hydroxide (LDH)-like compound provided so as to be in contact with the electrolytic solution. A metal compound containing at least one metal element constituting the LDH-like compound is dissolved in the electrolytic solution such that erosion of the LDH-like compound by the electrolytic solution is suppressed.

There is provided a secondary zinc battery including: a unit cell including; a positive-electrode plate including a positive-electrode active material layer and a positive-electrode collector; a negative-electrode plate including a negative-electrode active material layer containing zinc and a negative-electrode collector; an LDH separator covering or wrapping around the entire negative-electrode active material layer; and an electrolytic solution. The positive-electrode collector has a positive-electrode collector tab extending from one edge of the positive-electrode active material layer, and the negative-electrode collector has a negative-electrode collector tab extending from the opposite edge of the negative-electrode active material layer and beyond a vertical edge of the LDH-like compound separator. The unit cell can thereby collects electricity from the positive-electrode collector tab and the negative-electrode collector tab that are disposed at opposite edges of the unit cell. The LDH-like compound separator has at least two continuous closed edges.

An alkaline electrochemical cell includes a cathode, an anode which includes an anode active material, and a non-conductive separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the anode active material relative to a total amount of anode active material has a particle size of less than about 75 μm, and wherein the separator includes a unitary, cylindrical configuration having an open end, a side wall, and integrally formed closed end disposed distally to the open end.

A method for determining an electrolyte level in electrochemical cells of a battery or of a plurality of batteries, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing one battery or a plurality of batteries, each battery comprising a container having at least one wall; each battery consisting of one or several electrochemical cells; b) recording an image of the infrared radiations emitted by the wall and by the electrolyte through the wall of the battery or in case of a plurality of batteries recording an image of the infrared radiations emitted by the walls and by the electrolyte through the walls of the plurality of batteries; c) processing the image to locate in each electrochemical cell a boundary between two zones exhibiting a temperature difference thereby determining the electrolyte level in each electrochemical cell.

A battery system includes a nickel hydride battery and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to store data indicating a corresponding relationship between an elapsed time from start of use of the nickel hydride battery and a memory quantity. The data are data determined in a classified manner individually for each of conditions of use that are defined in such a manner as to include an open circuit voltage and a temperature. The electronic control unit is configured to sequentially calculate, with reference to the data, the memory quantity within a time when classification of the conditions of use does not change. The memory quantity is a quantity indicating an amount of change in voltage resulting from a memory effect. The electronic control unit is configured to estimate a current memory quantity of the nickel hydride battery by integrating the calculated memory quantity.

An electrode for a battery includes an iron-containing substrate and a cobalt ferrite layer disposed over the iron-containing substrate. Advantageously, the cobalt ferrite layer inhibits corrosion of the iron-containing substrate. A nickel hydroxide layer is disposed over the cobalt ferrite layer. A battery incorporating the electrode is also provided.

A primary or rechargeable battery comprising a battery housing; a cathode comprising a cathode electroactive material a conductive carbon, and a binder; an anode comprising an anode electroactive material; an electrolyte; and a conductive interlayer; and wherein the cathode, the anode, the electrolyte, and the conductive interlayer are disposed within the battery housing. The cathode electroactive material comprises manganese dioxide, any polymorphs thereof, or combinations thereof. The cathode is configured to access 20-100% of 1.sup.st electron capacity of the cathode electroactive material. The conductive interlayer contacts the cathode. The conductive interlayer comprises (i) a binder and (ii) a conductive carbon, a metal hydroxide, a metal oxide, or combinations thereof.

A metal-air battery has a positive electrode including a positive electrode conductive layer, a first catalyst layer, and a second catalyst layer. The positive electrode conductive layer is a porous layer made of conductive ceramic and has pores filled with an electrolyte solution. The first catalyst layer is a porous layer formed on a surface of the positive electrode conductive layer on the side opposite to the negative electrode, is made of conductive ceramic having a smaller average particle diameter than that of the positive electrode conductive layer, and has pores filled with the electrolyte solution. This improves charge performance. The second catalyst layer is a porous layer formed on a surface of the first catalyst layer on the side opposite to the negative electrode and is made of conductive ceramic having a larger average particle diameter than that of the first catalyst layer. This improves discharge performance.

An article having a continuous network of zinc and a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network. The zinc network is a fused, monolithic structure. A method of: providing an emulsion having a zinc powder and a liquid phase; drying the emulsion to form a sponge; annealing and/or sintering the sponge to form an annealed and/or sintered sponge; heating the annealed and/or sintered sponge in an oxidizing atmosphere to form an oxidized sponge having zinc oxide on the surface of the oxidized sponge; and electrochemically reducing the zinc oxide to form a zinc metal sponge.

An article having a continuous network of zinc and a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network. The zinc network is a fused, monolithic structure. A method of: providing an emulsion having a zinc powder and a liquid phase; drying the emulsion to form a sponge; annealing and/or sintering the sponge to form an annealed and/or sintered sponge; heating the annealed and/or sintered sponge in an oxidizing atmosphere to form an oxidized sponge having zinc oxide on the surface of the oxidized sponge; and electrochemically reducing the zinc oxide to form a zinc metal sponge.