US2003087153A1PendingUtilityA1

Electrode having multi-modal distribution of zinc-based particles

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Assignee: DURACELL INC A DELAWARE CORPPriority: Aug 1, 1997Filed: Nov 15, 2002Published: May 8, 2003
Est. expiryAug 1, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Richard E. DurkotLifun LinPeter B. Harris
B22F 1/05H01M 12/06H01M 2004/021H01M 4/622H01M 4/621H01M 4/12H01M 6/06H01M 4/06H01M 4/42H01M 4/244H01M 4/62Y02E60/10Y10T428/12014
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Claims

Abstract

An electrode containing zinc-based particles suspended in a fluid medium is disclosed. The zinc-based particles have a multi-modal distribution, such as a bi-modal distribution, of particle sizes, particle morphologies and/or particle compositions. The electrode can be used as the anode in an alkaline battery, such as a primary alkaline battery.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electrode, comprising: 
 zinc-based particles in a fluid medium, the zinc-based particles having a multi-modal distribution of particle sizes.    
     
     
         2 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-modal distribution is a bi-modal distribution.  
     
     
         3 . The electrode of  claim 2 , wherein the zinc-based particles in one mode of the multi-modal distribution have an average particle size of from about 15 microns to about 120 microns.  
     
     
         4 . The electrode of  claim 2 , wherein the zinc-based particles in one mode of the multi-modal distribution have an average particle size of from about 30 microns to about 40 microns.  
     
     
         5 . The electrode of  claim 2 , wherein the zinc-based particles in one mode of the multi-modal distribution have an average particle size of from about 95 microns to about 105 microns.  
     
     
         6 . The electrode of  claim 2 , wherein the zinc-based particles in a first mode of the multi-modal distribution have an average particle size of from about 200 microns to about 330 microns.  
     
     
         7 . The electrode of  claim 6 , wherein the zinc-based particles in a second mode of the multi-modal distribution have an average particle size of from about 15 microns to about 120 microns, and wherein the second mode is different than the first mode.  
     
     
         8 . The electrode of  claim 2 , wherein the zinc-based particles in a first mode of the multi-modal distribution have an average particle size of from about 290 microns to about 300 microns.  
     
     
         9 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the zinc-based particles have a multi-modal distribution of particle morphologies.  
     
     
         10 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the zinc-based particles have a multi-modal distribution of particle compositions.  
     
     
         11 . An electrode, comprising: 
 zinc-based particles in a fluid medium, the zinc-based particles having a multi-modal distribution of particle morphologies.    
     
     
         12 . The electrode of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-modal distribution is a bi-modal distribution.  
     
     
         13 . The electrode of  claim 11 , wherein a first mode of the multi-modal distribution comprises spherical zinc-based particles.  
     
     
         14 . The electrode of  claim 13 , wherein a second mode of the multi-modal distribution comprises nonspherical zinc-based particles, and wherein the second mode is different than the first mode.  
     
     
         15 . The electrode of  claim 14 , wherein the nonspherical zinc-based particles are flakes.  
     
     
         16 . The electrode of  claim 14 , wherein the nonspherical zinc-based particles are acicular particles.  
     
     
         17 . The electrode of  claim 11 , wherein one mode of the multi-modal distribution comprises nonspherical zinc-based particles.  
     
     
         18 . The electrode of  claim 17 , wherein the nonspherical zinc-based particles are flakes.  
     
     
         19 . The electrode of  claim 17 , wherein the nonspherical zinc-based particles are acicular particles.  
     
     
         20 . The electrode of  claim 11 , wherein the zinc-based particles have a multi-modal distribution of particle compositions.  
     
     
         21 . An electrode, comprising: 
 zinc-based particles in a fluid medium, the zinc-based particles having a multi-modal distribution of particle compositions.    
     
     
         22 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein the zinc-based particles in at least one mode include zinc and at least one gassing inhibitor.  
     
     
         23 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein a first mode of the multi-modal distribution comprises zinc-based particles comprising zinc, indium and bismuth.  
     
     
         24 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein a second mode of the multi-modal distribution comprises zinc-based particles comprising zinc, indium and bismuth, and wherein the second mode is different than the first mode.  
     
     
         25 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein the multi-modal distribution is a bi-modal distribution.  
     
     
         26 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein one mode of the bi-modal distribution comprises zinc-based particles comprising about 500 ppm indium relative to zinc and about 500 ppm bismuth relative to zinc.  
     
     
         27 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein one mode of the bi-modal distribution comprises zinc-based particles comprising about 350 ppm indium relative to zinc and about 150 ppm bismuth relative to zinc.  
     
     
         28 . The electrode of  claim 21 , wherein one mode of the bi-modal distribution comprises zinc-based particles comprising about 150 ppm indium relative to zinc and about 230 ppm bismuth relative to zinc.  
     
     
         29 . A battery, comprising: 
 an anode;    a cathode; and    a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode comprises zinc-based particles in a fluid medium, the zinc-based particles having a multi-modal distribution of particle sizes.    
     
     
         30 . The electrode of  claim 29 , wherein the battery is a AA battery.  
     
     
         31 . The electrode of  claim 29 , wherein the battery is a AAA battery.  
     
     
         32 . The electrode of  claim 29 , wherein the battery is a AAAA battery.  
     
     
         33 . A battery, comprising: 
 an anode;    a cathode; and    a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode comprises zinc-based particles in a fluid medium, the zinc-based particles having a multi-modal distribution of particle morphologies.    
     
     
         34 . The electrode of  claim 33 , wherein the battery is a AA battery.  
     
     
         35 . The electrode of  claim 33 , wherein the battery is a AAA battery.  
     
     
         36 . The electrode of  claim 33 , wherein the battery is a AAAA battery.  
     
     
         37 . A battery, comprising: 
 an anode;    a cathode; and    a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode comprises zinc-based particles in a fluid medium, the zinc-based particles having a multi-modal distribution of particle compositions.    
     
     
         38 . The electrode of  claim 37 , wherein the battery is a AA battery.  
     
     
         39 . The electrode of  claim 37 , wherein the battery is a AAA battery.  
     
     
         40 . The electrode of  claim 37 , wherein the battery is a AAAA battery.

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