Battery electrolyte corrosion inhibitor

• US 4,112,205 A
• Filed: 12/26/1974
• Issued: 09/05/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Arnold, Charkoudian, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LeFevour, Charles F.
• Application Number:
  US05/536,432
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 136/155, 136/107, 136/102, 136/154, 136/100 R, 136/30, 429/199, 429/224, 429/229
• US Class Current: 429/199
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/36 Accumulators not provided for in groups H01M10/05-H01M10/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/628 Inhibitors, e.g. gassing inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/04 Cells with aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A galvanic cell having a zinc anode which contains in the electrolyte as a corrosion inhibitor a chloride double salt containing mercuric ions and quaternary ions. The corrosion inhibitor may be represented by the formula:

M Hg.sub.x Cl.sub.y

wherein M is a quaternary ammonium cation, x is 1, 2 or 3, and y is 3 to 8.

Claims

1. A galvanic cell comprising a zinc anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte contains as a corrosion inhibitor a double salt of the formula:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M Hg.sub.x Cl.sub.y

wherein M is a quaternary cation, x is 1, 2 or 3, and y is 3 to 8.

2. The cell as defined in claim 1 wherein said cathode is manganese dioxide/carbon black and said electrolyte is ammonium chloride/zinc chloride.

3. The cell as defined in claim 1 wherein said quaternary cation is a quaternary ammonium cation.

4. The cell as defined in claim 3 wherein said double salt is (CH₃)₄ N Hg₂ Cl₅.

5. The cell as defined in claim 3 wherein said double salt is (C₂ H₅)₄ N Hg₂ Cl₅.

6. The cell as defined in claim 1 wherein said quaternary cation is a quaternary heterocyclic cation.

7. The cell as defined in claim 6 wherein said double salt is ##STR3##

8. The cell as defined in claim 1 wherein said double salt is present initially in the electrolyte at a level of 0.02% to 2.0% based on the weight of the electrolyte.

9. The cell as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrolyte additionally contains a second corrosion inhibitor.

10. The cell as defined in claim 9 wherein said second corrosion inhibitor is mercuric chloride.

11. The cell as defined in claim 9 wherein said second corrosion inhibitor is a quaternary ammonium halide.