CATALYTIC RECOMBINATION OF CORROSION EVOLVED HYDROGEN IN ALKALINE CELLS

摘要

In rechargeable or primary, electrochemical cells, hydrogen may evolve. The invention concerns the use of an auxiliary electrode material to catalyse the recombination of pressurized hydrogen, for example, hydrogen at pressures ranging from 5 to 15 psig up to pressure relief of the cell. The cell is a sealed cell having a metal oxide cathode (12), a zinc anode (14) and an aqueous alkaline electrolyte contacting both anode and cathode. The auxiliary electrode material, which may be mixed with the cathode material or be formed into a discrete auxiliary cathode (28), comprises a porous substrate for the absorption of pressurized hydrogen by the electrolyte. The substrate may be carbon, graphite or metal. The catalyst may be carbon, catalytically active noble metals, salts or oxides of lead, nickel, titanium, lanthanum, chromium, tantalum, and alloys of the metals, or mixtures of carbon with the salts or oxides.