Electrochemical measurements on lightweight composite nickel-graphite battery electrodes

Abstract

Lightweight batteries are being developed using a composite material of graphite mat fibers and nickel metal. Electrochemical properties of the composite indicates that the composite electrode is superior to sintered carbonyl-nickel powder electrodes in nickel-cadmium cells. Nickel-cadmium cells in which the nickel plate was replaced with the composite plate show that the watt-h/kg obtained from the composite plate was 47 pct higher than a commercial plate. Furthermore, preliminary discharge data suggest that the composite electrode functions as a thin electrode, which is important for high rate applications. Data on the lightweight nickel hydroxide electrode indicates that this electrode material can be utilized in nickel-cadmium, nickel-iron, nickel-zinc, and nickel-hydrogen electrochemical systems where increased energy density is important for advanced motive power applications.