Hydrogen absorbing alloy compact for use as the negative electrode of an alkaline rechargeable battery and method of making same

摘要

The present invention provides a hydrogen absorbing alloy compact for use as the negative electrode of an alkaline rechargeable battery which is made without the aid of a current-collecting support, contains a binder dispersed in the interstices formed by mutual contact of hydrogen absorbing alloy particles and on the alloy surfaces, and has a bulk density of 3.5 to 6.0 g/cm<3>. Accordingly, there is provided a compact containing no current-collecting support (or electrically conductive core) but suitable for use as an electrode in which the strength of the compact is increased and its electrical conductivity is maintained, so that the compact electrode can be prevented from being disintegrated by charge-discharge cycles and a desired discharge capacity can be achieved. The compact electrode is made by forming a porous hydrogen absorbing alloy compact containing neither current-collecting support nor binder, impregnating the compact with an aqueous solution (or solvent solution) of a binder, and then drying the compact to remove the water (or solvent).