Project Title:

Nickel/Metal Hydride Battery Electrodes

Technochem Company
203-A Creek Ridge Rd.
Greensboro, NC 27406-4419

93-1-10     08   9440

Nickel/Metal Hydride Battery Electrodes

Abstract:

Nickel hydrogen batteries are well established for use in
satellite applications, due to their excellent cycle life, no
maintenance and high reliability. These excellent characteristics
are mitigated by the use of high pressure vessels for hydrogen
storage. Nickel/metal hydride batteries have same chemistry,
except for storing the hydrogen as a metal hydride. Ni/M-H
batteries are inherently safe and have an energy density of 55
Wh/kg and 178 Wh/L, two to three times that of Ni-Cd batteries.
Present state of the art batteries utilize metal hydrides,
containing 1-1.2 wt% hydrogen. Worldwide development efforts are
in progress to develop nickel/metal hydride batteries. By
developing reversible metal hydrides of > 2 wt% hydrogen and
appropriate battery design and engineering, the energy density of
this system can be enhanced to >100 Wh/kg and 300 Wh/L, making
them suitable for many space station battery applications. The
proposed Phase I program will (i) research novel metal hydride
materials with >2 wt% hydrogen capacity, (ii) establish
reversibility and stability and (ii) demonstrate at the cell
level superior nickel/metal hydride battery characteristics. The
Phase II program will involve design, development, fabrication,
and testing of full-size battery configurations.

Nickel/metal hydride batteries of 300 Wh/L and 120 Wh/kg energy
density and 250 W/kg power density will have many applications
for space station use, such as cameras, life support system
packs, and power tools. The commercial applications include power
sources for tools, uninterrupted power supplies, and remote
telecommunications. Larger batteries may be used for EV's and
utility load leveling, and solar energy storage.

metal hydrides, rechargeable battery, metal hydride electrode,
nickel metal hydride battery