Influence of Addition of Carbon Nanotubes in the Hydrogen Storage Alloy Electrode on the Performance of SC High Power Batteries

Abstract

The carbon nanotubes were added to the cathode to prepare SC high-power Ni/MH batteries. The capacity, large-current discharging performance and cycle life were investigated. It was found that adding carbon nanotubes was greatly advantageous to enhance the batteries′ overall performance, especially the large-rate discharge performance and cycle life. When the weight ratio of the MWNTs in the compound electrode was 0.8%(w), the overall performance of the battery was the best, which showed a highest capacity of 3369 mAh in the condition of 3000 mA charge current and 6000 mA discharge current (2C-rate discharge), and the cycle life surpassed 600 times, the capacities passed 3280 mAh (97%DOD (depth of discharge)). Especially in the condition of 5C-rate large-current discharge (3000 mAh charge current and 15000 mA discharge current), its cycle life surpassed 180 times (89.1%DOD).