Research on separators for alkaline zinc batteries. Final report

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6314373

Yeo, R S

This project is concerned with the research and development of a hybrid separator as an improved battery separator in alkaline zinc secondary batteries. Particular emphasis has been directed toward mitigating the failure of zinc electrodes by controlling the permselectivity of the separator. Hybrid separators were synthesized and fabricated. These separators consist of a microporous film, radiation-grafted with a monomer containing ion-exchange groups. The new separator incorporates the favorable aspects of both ion-exchange membranes and microporous separators. Such a hybrid separator should ideally be highly specific for fast transport of electrolyte while inhibiting zincate diffusion. Hybrid separators with a wide range of percent graft (0 to 60%) were made by varying the monomer concentration and radiation time. The grafting of these ionic groups imparts the ion selectivity of the separators. The electrolyte uptake of hybrid separators is ca. 60 wt %. The higher the percent graft of the separator, the higher the water uptake and the lower the KOH uptake that are observed. The permeabilities of zincate ions were measured for a series of hybrid separators.

• Research Organization: Pinnacle Research Inst., Cupertino, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6314373
• Report Number(s): LBL-18574; ON: DE85003082
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250903* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
BATTERY SEPARATORS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
HYDROXYL RADICALS
METALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADICALS
SOLVENTS
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
STABILITY
SURFACE PROPERTIES
ZINC
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINCATES