Nickel-metal hydride battery using alkali ion conducting separator

1. A nickel-metal hydride battery comprising:

a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide;

a negative electrode containing a hydrogen storage alloy; and

a separator comprising a substantially non-porous alkali ion conducting ceramic material disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

2. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a specific alkali ion conductor.

3. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a solid alkali metal ion super ion conducting material, wherein the alkali metal is Na, K, or Li.

4. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 3 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Me 1+x Zr 2 Si x P 3-x O 12 where 0≦x≦3, where Me is Na, K, or Li.

5. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 4 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Na 1-30 x Zr 2 Si x P 3−x O 12 where 0≦x≦3.

6. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 3 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Me 5 RESi 4 O 12 where Me is Na, K, or Li, where RE is Y, Nd, Dy, or Sm, or any mixture thereof.

7. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 3 , wherein the separator comprises a non-stoichiometric alkali-deficient material having the formula (Me 5 RESi 4 O 12 ) 1−δ (RE 2 O 3 .2SiO 2 ) δ , where Me is Na, K, or Li, where RE is Nd, Dy, or Sm, or any mixture thereof and where δ is the measure of deviation from stoichiometry.

8. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a monolithic flat plate, a monolithic tube, a monolithic honeycomb, or supported structures of the foregoing.

9. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a layered alkali ion conducting ceramic-polymer composite membrane, comprising alkali ion-selective polymers layered on alkali ion conducting ceramic solid electrolyte materials.

10. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 1 , further comprising an alkaline electrolyte.

11. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 10 , wherein distinct alkaline electrolytes are positioned on either side of the separator at the positive and negative electrodes.

12. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to of claim 10 , comprising electrolytes of different alkalinity on the other side of the separator.

13. The nickel-metal hydride battery according claim 11 , further comprising a oxygen scavenger, a hydrogen scavenger or a mixture of the two.

14. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 11 , further comprising a corrosion inhibitor that prevents corrosion of the negative electrode in the charged or discharged state.

15. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 10 , wherein the concentration limits the capacity of the battery to prevent overcharging and overdischarging.

16. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 1 , wherein the separator prevents self discharge of the battery by transport of species present at one electrode to the other electrode.

17. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 3 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Na 1+x (A y Zr 2−y )(Si z P 3−z )O 12−δ , wherein A comprises one of Yb, Er, Dy, Sc, In, or Y, or mixtures or combinations thereof, 1.8≦x≦2.6, 0≦y≦0.2, x<z, and δ is selected to maintain charge neutrality.

18. A nickel-metal hydride battery comprising:

a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide;

a negative electrode containing a hydrogen storage alloy; and

a separator comprising a solid alkali metal ion super ion conducting material disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein the alkali metal is Na, K, or Li.

19. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Me 1+x Zr 2 Si x P 3−x O 12 where 0≦x≦3, where Me is Na, K, or Li.

20. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 19 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Na 1+x Zr 2 Si x P 3−x O 12 where 0≦x≦3.

21. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Me 5 RESi 4 O 12 where Me is Na, K, or Li, where RE is Y, Nd, Dy, or Sm, or any mixture thereof.

22. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator comprises a non-stoichiometric alkali-deficient material having the formula (Me 5 RESi 4 O 12 ) 1−δ (RE 2 O 3 .2SiO 2 ) δ , where Me is Na, K, or Li, where RE is Nd, Dy, or Sm, or any mixture thereof and where δ is the measure of deviation from stoichiometry.

23. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator comprises a monolithic flat plate, a monolithic tube, a monolithic honeycomb, or supported structures of the foregoing.

24. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator comprises a layered alkali ion conducting ceramic-polymer composite membrane, comprising alkali ion-selective polymers layered on alkali ion conducting ceramic solid electrolyte materials.

25. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , further comprising an alkaline electrolyte.

26. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 25 , wherein distinct alkaline electrolytes are positioned on either side of the separator at the positive and negative electrodes.

27. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to of claim 25 , comprising electrolytes of different alkalinity on the other side of the separator.

28. The nickel-metal hydride battery according claim 26 , further comprising a oxygen scavenger, a hydrogen scavenger or a mixture of the two.

29. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 26 , further comprising a corrosion inhibitor that prevents corrosion of the negative electrode in the charged or discharged state.

30. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 25 , wherein the concentration limits the capacity of the battery to prevent overcharging and overdischarging.

31. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator prevents self discharge of the battery by transport of species present at one electrode to the other electrode.

32. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 18 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Na 1+x (A y Zr 2−y )(Si z P 3−z )O 12−δ , wherein A comprises one of Yb, Er, Dy, Sc, In, or Y, or mixtures or combinations thereof, 1.8≦x≦2.6, 0≦y≦0.2, x<z, and δ is selected to maintain charge neutrality.

33. A nickel-metal hydride battery comprising:

a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide;

a negative electrode containing a hydrogen storage alloy;

a separator comprising an alkali ion conducting material disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

distinct alkaline electrolytes positioned on either side of the separator at the positive and negative electrodes.

34. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , wherein the separator comprises a substantially non-porous ceramic material.

35. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , wherein the separator comprises a solid alkali metal ion super ion conducting material, wherein the alkali metal is Na, K, or Li.

36. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 35 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Me 1+x Zr 2 Si x P 3−x O 12 where 0≦x≦3, where Me is Na, K, or Li.

37. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 36 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Na 1+x Zr 2 Si x P 3−x O 12 where 0≦x≦3.

38. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 35 , wherein the separator comprises a material having the formula Me 5 RESi 4 O 12 where Me is Na, K, or Li, where RE is Y, Nd, Dy, or Sm, or any mixture thereof.

39. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 35 , wherein the separator comprises a non-stoichiometric alkali-deficient material having the formula (Me 5 RESi 4 O 12 ) 1−δ (RE 2 O 3 .2SiO 2 ) δ , where Me is Na, K, or Li, where RE is Nd, Dy, or Sm, or any mixture thereof and where δ is the measure of deviation from stoichiometry.

40. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , wherein the separator comprises a monolithic flat plate, a monolithic tube, a monolithic honeycomb, or supported structures of the foregoing.

41. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , wherein the separator comprises a layered alkali ion conducting ceramic-polymer composite membrane, comprising alkali ion-selective polymers layered on alkali ion conducting ceramic solid electrolyte materials.

42. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to of claim 33 , comprising electrolytes of different alkalinity on the other side of the separator.

43. The nickel-metal hydride battery according claim 33 , further comprising an oxygen scavenger, a hydrogen scavenger or a mixture of the two.

44. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , further comprising a corrosion inhibitor that prevents corrosion of the negative electrode in the charged or discharged state.

45. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , wherein the concentration limits the capacity of the battery to prevent overcharging and overdischarging.

46. The nickel-metal hydride battery according to claim 33 , wherein the separator prevents self discharge of the battery by transport of species present at one electrode to the other electrode.