ZINC ELECTRODE INVESTIGATION.
Abstract
Techniques for internal utilization of generated gases studied included measurement of oxygen consumption rates at the zinc plate element, O2-overvoltage on positive plates with and without the 1% Pd addition, recombination rates for H2 and O2 on a catalyst, hydrogen oxidation rates at a specially prepared positive plate and at a fuel cell-type hydrogen electrode. The recombination catalyst, the treated positive plate, and the fuel cell-type H2 electrode were tested in cycling cells. Many variations on zinc plate formulations were tested including several zinc oxide crystal morphologies and particle sizes, binder-type additives including polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene oxide, and several surfactants. Crystal morphology and/or particle size were found to have a major influence on cycle life and a nondescript morphology of fine particle size is preferred. Two percent PVA was found to be the best concentration for the binder-type additives. A surfactant designated as Emulphogene BC-610 was found to double cycle life of the zinc plate in concentrations from 0.15 to 0.5% by weight. Sodium hydroxide electrolyte in the same weight concentrations was found to double cycle life in comparison to KOH electrolyte. The acrylic acid-grafted, cross-linked, low density polyethylene separator material (designated as 2.2XH) was thoroughly tested and found to yield short life by comparison with fibrous sausage casing, presumably due to problems involved in scale up of manufacturing procedures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0489498
Entities
People
- J. A. Keralla
- J. J. Lander
- R. S. Bogner
Organizations
- General Motors