Hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam anodes, methods of producing the same, and methods for their use
Disclosed are hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam electrodes, viz., anodes, methods of producing the same, and methods for their use in electrochemical cells, especially in rechargeable electrical batteries.
1. An electrode comprising hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam.
2. An electrode according to claim 1 , electrodeposited hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam upon a substrate or structure.
3. An electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam comprises nanoparticles formed on secondary dendrites in a three-dimensional network.
4. An electrode according to claim 3 , wherein the nanoparticles formed on secondary dendrites in a three-dimensional network with a particle size distribution of 54.1-96.0 nm.
5. A method of forming an electrode according to claim 1 , which method comprises the step of:
depositing zinc from an aqueous composition which includes zinc via electrodeposition onto a substrate or structure using an electrical overpotential to thereby form hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam having primary and secondary dendrites in a three-dimensional network.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the zinc foam provides an electrical current pathway therethrough and to the substrate or structure.
7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate or structure contains nickel.
8. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said zinc foam is formed in potentiostatic charging conditions at −2.0 volt versus mercury/mercury oxide and higher, in a three-electrode setup consisting of a platinum or nickel working electrode, a mercury/mercury oxide reference electrode and a platinum or nickel counter electrode.
9. A primary or secondary battery which comprises an electrode according to claim 1 .