Synthetic silver oxide and mercury--free zinc electrodes for silver--zinc reserve batteries

摘要

Reserve activated silver oxide--zinc cells were constructed with synthetic silver oxide (Ag_2O) electrodes with Pb--treated zinc electrodes produced by a non-electrolytic process. The cells were tested before and after thermally accelerated aging. At discharge rates up to 80 mA cm~-2, the discharge was limited by the Ag_2O electrode, with a coulombic efficiency between 89--99/100. At higher rates, the cells are apparently zinc-limited. Test cells were artificially aged at 90deg. C for l9 h and discharged at 2ldeg. C at 80 mA cm~-2. No capacity loss was measured, but a delayed activation rise time was noted (l92 ms fresh vs. 567 ms aged). The delay is thought to be caused by zinc passivation due to the outgassing of cell materials.