An alkaline battery includes a negative electrode. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material particle. The negative electrode active material particle includes a center part, a covering layer, and island-form layers. The center part includes zinc as a constituent element. The covering layer covers a surface of the center part and includes gallium as a constituent element. The island-form layers are present on a surface of the covering layer and include indium as a constituent element.

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.

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.

Disclosed is a battery comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte; the cathode comprises a cathode material, the cathode material comprises a cathode active material which is capable of reversibly intercalating and deintercalating a first metal ions; the electrolyte comprises at least a solvent capable of dissolving solute, the solute being ionized to a second metal ions that can be reduced to a metallic state during a charge cycle and be oxidized from the metallic state to the second metal ions during a discharge cycle and the first metal ions that can deintercalate from the cathode active material during the charge cycle and intercalate into the cathode active material during the discharge cycle; and the anode and/or the electrolyte further comprise an additive which is a bismuth compound. The gas production amount could be effectively reduced when the battery is being used.

Disclosed is a battery comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte; the cathode comprises a cathode material, the cathode material comprises a cathode active material which is capable of reversibly intercalating and deintercalating a first metal ions; the electrolyte comprises at least a solvent capable of dissolving solute, the solute being ionized to a second metal ions that can be reduced to a metallic state during a charge cycle and be oxidized from the metallic state to the second metal ions during a discharge cycle and the first metal ions that can deintercalate from the cathode active material during the charge cycle and intercalate into the cathode active material during the discharge cycle; and the anode and/or the electrolyte further comprise an additive which is a bismuth compound. The gas production amount could be effectively reduced when the battery is being used.

A battery comprising an anode comprising anode material in contact with a metal anode current collector. The battery further comprises a cathode comprising cathode material in contact with a cathode current collector comprising a transparent conducting oxide (TCO). The battery further comprises an electrolyte with a pH in a range of 3 to 7.

A battery comprising an anode comprising anode material in contact with a metal anode current collector. The battery further comprises a cathode comprising cathode material in contact with a cathode current collector comprising a transparent conducting oxide (TCO). The battery further comprises an electrolyte with a pH in a range of 3 to 7.

A polymer electrolyte includes a polyethylene oxide matrix, a plasticizer additive, a solute, and a filler. The plasticizer additive includes an ionic liquid and the filler includes zinc oxide. An energy storage device includes an anode, a cathode and the polymer electrolyte. An energy storage device includes a zinc anode, a cathode and a polymer electrolyte, in which the polymer electrolyte includes a polyethylene oxide matrix and a plasticizer additive that includes an ionic liquid.

A polymer electrolyte includes a polyethylene oxide matrix, a plasticizer additive, a solute, and a filler. The plasticizer additive includes an ionic liquid and the filler includes zinc oxide. An energy storage device includes an anode, a cathode and the polymer electrolyte. An energy storage device includes a zinc anode, a cathode and a polymer electrolyte, in which the polymer electrolyte includes a polyethylene oxide matrix and a plasticizer additive that includes an ionic liquid.

The present invention is directed to a silicon-containing particle for use as a negative-electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, wherein a crystal grain size is 300 nm or less, the crystal grain size being obtained by a Scherrer method from a full width at half maximum of a diffraction line attributable to Si (111) and near 2θ=28.4° in an x-ray diffraction pattern analysis, and a true density is more than 2.320 g/cm.sup.3 and less than 3.500 g/cm.sup.3. The invention provides silicon-containing particles for use as a negative-electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that enable manufacture of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an excellent cycle characteristics and a higher capacity compared with graphite types.