Sealed nickel/metal hydride battery and hydrogen-storage alloy electrode for use in same

摘要

An electrode for a sealed nickel/metal hydride battery and a method of manufacturing the same, which is capable of suppressing a decrease in the charging reserve of a hydrogen-storage alloy electrode (negative electrode) and an increase in the internal pressure of the battery, is provided. The hydrogen-storage alloy electrode is formed using a tackifier or a binder which is prepared from an organic polymer material containing the ether linkage (-O-), for example, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide , or polybutylene oxide. The specified material is suitably hydrophilic, and it exhibits an oxidation resistance which is much higher than that of a conventional material containing the hydroxyl group (-OH). Therefore, the specified material is especially resistant to oxidation and decomposition at the positive electrode of the battery and can significantly reduce the production of hydrogen attributed to the oxidation and decomposition.