Nickel oxide battery cathode prepared by ozonation

摘要

A stable tetravalent nickel oxide cathode, having a high coulombic capacity, for use in high energy density batteries comprising a nickel hydroxide plate prepared by impregnating a porous conducting plaque with nickel hydroxide which is then further wet oxidized by passing a stream of ozone through the plate. The ozonation process further comprises impregnation of the nickel hydroxide plate with an alkaline solution such as an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide and flowing of a stream of gaseous ozone through the plate by producing a pressure differential across the plate while applying water or potassium hydroxide solution to the plate to facilitate the action of the ozone on the nickel hydroxide-potassium hydroxide mixture. The tetravalent nickel oxide thus formed has the stable gamma structure with a valence approaching +4.0.