Nickel Oxide Hydroxide Electrode Charge Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nickel oxide-hydroxide electrodes exhibit poor charge retention and compatibility issues with modern current collectors, limiting their use in high-energy density applications.
Innovation Solution
A nickel oxide/hydroxide active film is formed onto a substrate from a solution containing a nickelous salt and an electrolyte, achieving greater than 80% charge retention over 500 cycles and storing electrons at greater than 0.5 electrons per nickel atom, with the option to include cobalt for enhanced performance as a nickel-cobalt oxide/hydroxide film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional nickel oxide-hydroxide electrodes are used, then the battery can achieve basic charge storage function, but the charge retention is poor and compatibility with modern current collectors is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the nickel oxide-hydroxide electrode by incorporating zinc oxide and adjusting the Ni:Zn molar ratio to achieve both improved charge retention and compatibility with modern current collectors like aluminum and carbon
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system by combining nickel oxide-hydroxide with zinc oxide in specific ratios, forming a synergistic composite that simultaneously improves charge retention and broadens compatibility with different current collector materials
2Use of energy by moving object
If the battery is overcharged to increase energy density, then more charge can be stored, but oxygen is produced at the nickel electrode which may recombine with hydrogen to form water, reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful overcharge reaction that produces oxygen into a beneficial process by designing the electrode to facilitate controlled oxygen evolution and recombination that actually enhances charge storage capacity while maintaining system stability
3Quantity of substance
If the nickel oxide/hydroxide active film stores more electrons per nickel atom, then higher energy density is achieved, but the charge/discharge cycle stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the chemical composition parameters including zinc oxide content and Ni:Zn molar ratio to achieve the optimal balance between electron storage capacity (greater than 0.5 electron per nickel atom) and charge retention stability over 500+ cycles
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nickel oxide/hydroxide active film demonstrates improved charge retention, high charge/discharge rates, and stability, making it suitable for high-energy density applications such as batteries and supercapacitors, while the nickel-cobalt variant offers enhanced performance and stability.
Implementation Method 1
When a battery is discharged, nickel (III) oxide-hydroxide is reduced to nickel(II) hydroxide
Implementation Method 2
When the battery is overcharged, oxygen is produced at the nickel electrode
Implementation Method 3
The simplified, representative electrochemical reactions at a nickel oxide/hydroxide electrode
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a method includes forming a nickel oxide/hydroxide active film onto a substrate from a solution including a nickelous salt and an electrolyte, where the nickel oxide/hydroxide active film has a physical characteristic of maintaining greater than about 80% charge over greater than 500 charge/discharge cycles, and wherein the nickel oxide/hydroxide active film has a physical characteristic of storing electrons at greater than about 0.5 electron per nickel atom.