Buckling resistant current collector

Abstract

A wire mesh including a warp which includes a first nickel alloy wire having a first peak tensile strength; and a weft which includes a wire including nickel having a second peak tensile strength, wherein the first peak tensile strength is greater than or equal to the second peak tensile strength, is provided. A current collector and a zinc-air battery that includes the wire mesh are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An expanded metal mesh comprising a nickel metal alloy comprising 90 wt % to 99 wt % nickel and 1 wt % to 10 wt % aluminum. 
     
     
         2 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel metal alloy comprises from about 93 wt % to about 97 wt % nickel and from about 3 wt % to about 7 wt % aluminum. 
     
     
         3 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel metal alloy further comprises at least one of copper, iron, manganese, carbon, silicon, sulfur, and titanium. 
     
     
         4 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel metal alloy wire has a resistivity of from about 2×10-7 Ωm to about 5×10-7 Ωm at 20° C. 
     
     
         5 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of greater than 140 ksi. 
     
     
         6 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of greater than 180 ksi. 
     
     
         7 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of greater than 200 ksi. 
     
     
         8 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of greater than 210 ksi. 
     
     
         9 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of less than 350 ksi. 
     
     
         10 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of less than 300 ksi. 
     
     
         11 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of less than 230 ksi. 
     
     
         12 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the first nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of from about 140 ksi to about 250 ksi. 
     
     
         13 . The expanded metal mesh of  claim 1 , wherein the first nickel alloy wire has a peak tensile strength of from about 200 ksi to about 225 ksi. 
     
     
         14 . A method of producing an expanded metal mesh comprising:
 expanding a sheet or coil of metal of by an expansion factor of at least 10 times its original area;   introducing small cuts in to the sheet; and   stretching the cut sheet to provide and expanded metal mesh.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising annealing the sheet or coil prior to or after the expansion.