Hydroen absorbing Ni-based alloy and rechargeable alkaline battery

• US 4,983,474 A
• Filed: 05/17/1989
• Issued: 01/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (Mitsubishi Materials Corporation)
• Inventors: Doi, Hidekazu, Yabuki, Ritsue
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US07/353,017
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 429/59, 429/101, 420/458, 420/459, 420/460, 420/900
• US Class Current: 429/59
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0005 Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes purification of hydrogen C01B3/508; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 19/03 based on nickel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/242 Hydrogen storage electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/383 Hydrogen absorbing alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 420/90 Hydrogen storage

Abstract

A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy comprising 5 to 25% by weight of titanium (Ti), 10 to 37% by weight of zirconium (Zr), 4 to 20% by weight of manganese (Mn), 0.1 to 12% by weight of vanadium (V), 0.01 to 5% by weight of iron (Fe), 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of aluminum (Al), and balance nickel (Ni) and unavoidable impurities, and a sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery comprising a negative electrode provided with such a hydrogen absorbing alloy as an active material, an Ni positive electrode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte solution.

Claims

1. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy comprising 5 to 25% by weight of titanium (Ti), 10 to 35% by weight of zirconium (Zr), 4 to 20% by weight of manganese (Mn), 0.1 to 12% by weight of vanadium (V), 0.01 to 5% by weight of iron (Fe), and 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of aluminum (Al).

2. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

3. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

4. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

5. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

6. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

7. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

8. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

9. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

10. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 10.1 to 13.9% by weight (13 to 18 atomic %) of Ti, 22.3 to 29.4% by weight (15 to 20 atomic %) of Zr, 8.9 to 13.3% by weight (10 to 15 atomic %) of Mn, 4.1 to 9.9% by weight (5 to 12 atomic %) of V, 3.1 to 6.1% by weight (3 to 6 atomic %) of Cu, 0.1 to 2.7% by weight in total of Fe and Al provided that Fe and Al are present in amounts not smaller than 0.01% by weight, respectively, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

11. A hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alloy consists of 10.1 to 13.9% by weight (13 to 18 atomic %) of Ti, 22.3 to 29.4% by weight (15 to 20 atomic %) of Zr, 8.9 to 13.3% by weight (10 to 15 atomic %) of Mn, 4.1 to 9.9% by weight (5 to 12 atomic %) of V, 3.1 to 6.1% by weight (3 to 6 atomic %) of Cu, 0.1 to 2.7% by weight in total of Fe, Al and Cr provided that Fe and Al are present in amounts not smaller than 0.01% by weight, respectively, and that Cr is present in an amount not smaller than 0.05% by weight, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

12. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery comprising a negative electrode provided with a hydrogen absorbing alloy as an active material, an Ni positive electrode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the hydrogen absorbing alloy is comprised of a hydrogen absorbing Ni-based alloy comprising 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 12% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight Fe, and 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al.

13. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

14. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

15. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

16. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 20% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 18% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 3.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

17. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

18. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

19. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

20. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 5 to 25% by weight of Ti, 10 to 37% by weight of Zr, 4 to 20% by weight of Mn, 0.1 to 10% by weight of V, 0.01 to 5% by weight of Fe, 0.01 to 4.5% by weight of Al, 0.1 to 7% by weight of Cu, 0.05 to 6% by weight of Cr, 0.01 to 13% by weight of W, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

21. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 10.1 to 13.9% by weight (13 to 18 atomic %) of Ti, 22.3 to 29.4% by weight (15 to 20 atomic %) of Zr, 8.9 to 13.3% by weight (10 to 15 atomic %) of Mn, 4.1 to 9.9% by weight (5 to 12 atomic %) of V, 3.1 to 6.1% by weight (3 to 6 atomic %) of Cu, 0.1 to 2.7% by weight in total of Fe and Al provided that Fe and Al are present in amounts not smaller than 0.01% by weight, respectively, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.

22. A sealed Ni-hydrogen rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein said alloy consists of 10.1 to 13.9% by weight (13 to 18 atomic %) of Ti, 22.3 to 29.4% by weight (15 to 20 atomic %) of Zr, 8.9 to 13.3% by weight (10 to 15 atomic %) of Mn, 4.1 to 9.9% by weight (5 to 12 atomic %) of V, 3.1 to 6.1% by weight (3 to 6 atomic %) of Cu, 0.1 to 2.7% by weight in total of Fe, Al and Cr provided that Fe and Al are present in amounts not smaller than 0.01% by weight, respectively, and that Cr is present in an amount not smaller than 0.05% by weight, and balance Ni and unavoidable impurities.