A poorly crystalline mixed metal manganese oxide material. The mixed metal manganese oxide material may be used for making a cathode for a rechargeable battery. Generally, the mixed metal manganese oxide includes: manganese oxide; copper, silver, gold, or a combination thereof; a first additional cation selected from the group consisting of: bismuth, lead, and mixtures thereof; and a second additional cation selected from the group consisting of: lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium, rubidium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, NR.sub.4.sup.+, or a combination thereof, with R being, hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or combinations thereof. The amorphous composition has an essentially amorphous x-ray powder diffraction pattern.

To provide electrolytic manganese dioxide excellent in low rate characteristics and middle rate characteristics when used as a cathode material for alkaline manganese dry cells, and a method for its production.

Electrolytic manganese dioxide of which the apparent density is at least 4.0 g/cm.sup.3 and at most 4.3 g/cm.sup.3, and the mode particle size is at least 30 μm and at most 100 μm; a method for its production and its application.

To provide electrolytic manganese dioxide excellent in low rate characteristics and middle rate characteristics when used as a cathode material for alkaline manganese dry cells, and a method for its production.

Electrolytic manganese dioxide of which the apparent density is at least 4.0 g/cm.sup.3 and at most 4.3 g/cm.sup.3, and the mode particle size is at least 30 μm and at most 100 μm; a method for its production and its application.

This slurry for secondary batteries includes inorganic particles, a binding material, and a dispersion medium. The inorganic particles are formed from a metal compound, including as main components, an alkali metal and a metal other than alkaline earth metals, the contained amount of the alkali metal being 0.001-2 mass %. A positive electrode according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a collector, an intermediate layer formed on at least one surface of the collector, and a mixture layer formed on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer includes the inorganic particles, a binding material, and a conductive material.

Water-in-salt electrolytes for zinc metal batteries are disclosed. The electrolyte includes a zinc halide. The electrolyte may be a hybrid water-in-salt electrolyte further including an additional metal halide or nonmetal halide. Batteries including the electrolytes are disclosed, as well as devices including the batteries and methods of making the batteries.

A method of manufacturing a battery cell includes forming an electrode and coating the electrode with a n-mer solution. The n-mer coated electrode is treated by heat, ultraviolet, or cross linking agents to polymerize the n-mer and form an ion exchange material that covers at least some of the electrode.

An alkaline battery includes a bottomed tubular battery can made of metal, serving as a positive electrode current collector; a positive electrode mixture sealed in the battery can and formed in a cylindrical shape, the positive electrode mixture containing manganese dioxide as a positive electrode active material and containing a binder including fluorine resin such that a ratio of the binder to the positive electrode active material is 0.2 wt % or more and 0.8 wt % or less; a bottomed tubular separator sealed in the battery can and arranged on an inner peripheral side of the positive electrode mixture; a gel-form negative electrode mixture sealed in the battery can, arranged inside the separator, containing zinc powder as a negative electrode active material; and an electrolyte that includes an alkaline aqueous solution, sealed in the battery can.

An alkaline battery includes a bottomed tubular battery can made of metal, serving as a positive electrode current collector; a positive electrode mixture sealed in the battery can and formed in a cylindrical shape, the positive electrode mixture containing manganese dioxide as a positive electrode active material and containing a binder including fluorine resin such that a ratio of the binder to the positive electrode active material is 0.2 wt % or more and 0.8 wt % or less; a bottomed tubular separator sealed in the battery can and arranged on an inner peripheral side of the positive electrode mixture; a gel-form negative electrode mixture sealed in the battery can, arranged inside the separator, containing zinc powder as a negative electrode active material; and an electrolyte that includes an alkaline aqueous solution, sealed in the battery can.

A secondary alkaline battery includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a current collector, a cathode mixture in electrical contact with the current collector. The cathode mixture comprises: manganese oxide, a copper compound comprising copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or any combination thereof, a bismuth compound comprising bismuth, a salt of bismuth, or any combination thereof, and a conductive carbon. The secondary alkaline battery can also include a first composition in contact with the current collector and disposed between the current collector and the cathode mixture that includes copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.

A secondary alkaline battery includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a current collector, a cathode mixture in electrical contact with the current collector. The cathode mixture comprises: manganese oxide, a copper compound comprising copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or any combination thereof, a bismuth compound comprising bismuth, a salt of bismuth, or any combination thereof, and a conductive carbon. The secondary alkaline battery can also include a first composition in contact with the current collector and disposed between the current collector and the cathode mixture that includes copper, a salt of copper, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.