Provided is a NiFe battery comprising an iron electrode which is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle. The preconditioned iron electrode used in the NiFe battery is prepared by first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized surface.

Provided is a process for preparing an electrode comprising an iron active material. The process comprises first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized surface. The resulting iron electrode is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle to have the assessable surface of the iron active material in the same oxidation state as in discharged iron negative electrodes active material.

Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for a battery. According to various embodiments, the battery comprises a layered structure comprising a current collector, an active material, and a non-electrically conductive permeable layer. The layered structure is repeated with a separator disposed between adjacent layered structures.

Provided is a process for preparing an electrode comprising an iron active material. The process comprises first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized surface. The resulting iron electrode is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle to have the assessable surface of the iron active material in the same oxidation state as in discharged iron negative electrodes active material.

An alkali/oxidant battery is provided with an associated method of creating battery capacity. The battery is made from an anode including a reduced first alkali metal such as lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K), when the battery is charged. The battery's catholyte includes an element, in the battery charged state, such as nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), manganese(IV) (oxide Mn.sup.(4+)O.sub.2), or iron(III) oxyhydroxide Fe.sup.(3+)(OH).sub.3), with the alkali metal hydroxide. An alkali metal ion permeable separator is interposed between the anolyte and the catholyte. For example, if the catholyte includes nickel(II) hydroxide (Ni(OH).sub.2) in a battery discharged state, then it includes NiOOH in a battery charged state. To continue the example, the anolyte may include dissolved lithium ions (Li.sup.+) in a discharged state, with solid phase reduced Li formed on the anode in the battery charged state.

Provided is an iron based electrode comprising a single layer of a conductive substrate coated on at least one side with a coating comprising an iron active material and a binder. The iron based electrode is useful in a NiFe battery as the anode. The electrode can also be prepared by continuously coating each side of the substrate with a coating mixture comprising the iron active material and binder.

Provided is a process for preparing an electrode comprising an iron active material. The process comprises first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with water to thereby create an oxidized surface. The resulting iron electrode is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle to have the assessable surface of the iron active material in the same oxidation state as in discharged iron negative electrodes active material.

Provided is a process for preparing an electrode comprising an iron active material. The process comprises first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with an oxidant solution to thereby create an oxidized surface. The resulting iron electrode is thereby preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle to have the assessable surface of the iron active material in the same oxidation state as in discharged iron negative electrodes active material.

The invention provides a method of storing varying or intermittent electrical energy and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) with an energy apparatus, the method comprising: providing the first cell aqueous liquid, the second cell aqueous liquid, and electrical power from an external power source to the functional unit thereby providing an electrically charged functional battery unit and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) stored in said storage system, wherein during at least part of a charging time the functional unit is charged at a potential difference between the first cell electrode and the second cell electrode of more than 1.37 V.

Provided is an iron based electrode comprising a single layer of a conductive substrate coated on at least one side with a coating comprising an iron active material and a binder. The iron based electrode is useful in a NiFe battery as the anode. The electrode can also be prepared by continuously coating each side of the substrate with a coating mixture comprising the iron active material and binder.