METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING POSITIVE ELECTRODE ACTIVE MATERIAL OF ALKALINE STORAGE BATTERY, NICKEL ELECTRODE USING THE POSITIVE ELECTRODE ACTIVE MATERIAL, AND ALKAILE STORAGE BATTERY USING THE NICKEL ELECTRODE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce a higher order cobalt oxide having a high electroconductivity on the surfaces of active material particles by establishing such an arrangement that cobalt hydroxide can sufficiently be dissolved in an alkali water solution. SOLUTION: Particles of nickel hydroxide on which α-type cobalt in the wet and swollen condition is precipitated are cast in from a cast-in hole 16 and accommodated on a mesh disc 14, whereto a hot wind is blown from a hot wind inlet 15, and agitating vanes 13 are rotated for agitating the particles laced on the mesh disc 14. Then a specified quantity of alkali water solution is atomized from an alkali spray nozzle 17, and a specified quantity of water at a certain temperature is atomized from a water spray nozzle 18 so that an alkali heat treatment is conducted, and thereby the α-type cobalt hydroxide is oxidized to be turned into a higher order cobalt compound having excellent electroconductivity. Then the operation of the device 10 is stopped, and the particles having undergone alkali heat treatment are taken out of the cast-in hole 16.