ELECTRODE SEPARATOR

1 . A separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

a polymer material comprising ABS; and

a filler comprising a zirconium oxide material,

wherein the separator has a resistance of no more than about 2000 Ohm·cm.

2 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator has a pore size of about 5 nm or greater.

3 . The separator of either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the polymer material further comprises a water soluble polymer.

4 . The separator of claim 3 , wherein the polymer material comprises from about 1 wt % to about 30 wt % of a water soluble polymer.

5 . The separator of either of claim 3 or 4 , wherein the water soluble polymer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, carbopol, polyethylene glycol, polystyrene sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof.

6 . The separator of any one of claims 1 - 5 , further comprising greater than about 10 wt % of filler.

7 . The separator of any one of claims 1 - 6 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of greater than about 30 nm.

8 . The separator of any one of claims 1 - 7 , wherein the filler is substantially free of titanium.

9 . The separator of any one of claims 1 - 8 , further comprising a dispersant.

10 . The separator of claim 9 , further comprising from about 0.1 wt % to about 9.99 wt % of dispersant.

11 . The separator of either of claim 11 or 12 , wherein the dispersant comprises dodecylbenzenefulfonic acid or any salt thereof.

12 . The separator of any one of claims 1 - 11 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 1 mol % to about 10 mol % of yttrium oxide.

13 . The separator of any one of claims 1 - 12 , further comprising a substrate.

14 . The separator of claim 13 , wherein the substrate comprises a woven or nonwoven film.

15 . The separator of either of claim 13 or 14 , wherein the substrate comprises a polyolefin.

16 . The separator of claim 15 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

17 . A separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

a polymer material comprising from about 1 wt % to less than about 50 wt % of ABS; and

a zirconium oxide material comprising a powder having a mean grain diameter of from about 40 nm to about 1000 nm,

wherein the separator has a resistance of no more than about 2000 Ohm·cm.

18 . The separator of claim 17 , further comprising a substrate.

19 . The separator of claim 18 , wherein the substrate comprises a polyolefin.

20 . The separator of claim 19 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

21 . The separator of any one of claims 17 - 20 , wherein the polymer material further comprises from about 1 wt % to about 30 wt % of a water soluble polymer.

22 . The separator of claim 21 , wherein the water soluble polymer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, carbopol, polyethylene glycol, polystyrene sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof.

23 . The separator of any one of claims 17 - 22 , further comprising from about 0.1 wt % to about 9.99 wt % of dispersant.

24 . The separator of claim 23 , wherein the dispersant comprises dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid or any salt thereof.

25 . A rechargeable battery comprising:

a cathode comprising a silver material;

an anode comprising a zinc material; and

a separator comprising:

a polymer material comprising ABS; and

a zirconium oxide material,

wherein the separator comprises greater than 10 wt % of zirconium oxide material.

26 . The battery of claim 25 , wherein the polymer material further comprises a water soluble polymer.

27 . The battery of claim 26 , wherein the polymer material comprises from about 1 wt % to about 30 wt % of the water soluble polymer.

28 . The battery of claim 27 , wherein the water soluble polymer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, carbopol, polyethylene glycol, a polystyrene sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof.

29 . The battery of any one of claims 25 - 28 , wherein the separator further comprises greater than about 10 wt % of zirconium oxide material.

30 . The battery of any one of claims 25 - 29 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of greater than about 30 nm.

31 . The battery of any one of claims 25 - 30 , wherein the separator is substantially free of titanium.

32 . The battery of any one of claims 25 - 31 , wherein the separator further comprises a dispersant.

33 . The battery of claim 32 , wherein the separator comprises from about 0.1 wt % to about 9.99 wt % of dispersant.

34 . The battery of claim 33 , wherein the dispersant comprises dodecylbenzenefulfonic acid or any salt thereof.

35 . The battery of any one of claims 25 - 34 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 1 mol % to about 10 mol % of yttrium oxide.

36 . The battery of any one of claims 25 - 35 , wherein the separator further comprises a substrate, and the substrate comprises a woven or nonwoven film.

37 . The battery of claim 36 , wherein the substrate comprises a polyolefin.

38 . The battery of claim 37 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

39 . A method of manufacturing a separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

providing a first mixture comprising an ABS polymer, a dispersant, a solvent, and a zirconium oxide material; and

drying the mixture to generate a separator.

40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein the first mixture further comprises a water soluble polymer.

41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the water soluble polymer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, carbopol, polyethylene glycol, polystyrene sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof.

42 . The method of any one of claims 39 - 41 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of greater than about 30 nm.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder is substantially free of titanium.

44 . The method of any one of claims 39 - 43 , wherein the dispersant comprises dodecylbenzenefulfonic acid or any salt thereof.

45 . The method of either of claim 42 or 43 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder comprises from about 1 mol % to about 10 mol % of yttrium oxide.

46 . The method of any one of claims 39 - 45 , wherein the solvent comprises a polar aprotic solvent.

47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent comprises 2-butanone, acetone, or any combination thereof.

48 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the solvent further comprises 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone.

49 . The method of any one of claims 39 - 48 , further comprising casting the first mixture onto a surface.

50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the surface comprises a film comprising a polyolefin comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

51 . A separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

a polymer material comprising PVDF; and

a filler comprising zirconium oxide material,

wherein the separator has a resistance of no more than about 20 Ohm·cm.

52 . The separator of claim 51 , wherein the polymer material comprises PVDF, and the PVDF comprises a homopolymer, a copolymer, or any combination thereof.

53 . The separator of claim 52 , wherein the PVDF comprises a copolymer selected from a block copolymer, an alternating copolymer, a statistical copolymer, a graft copolymer, or any combination thereof.

54 . The separator of claim 52 , wherein the PVDF comprises a copolymer, and the copolymer comprises a VDF monomer and monomer comprising a halogenated C 3-5 aliphatic.

55 . The separator of claim 54 , wherein the halogenated C 3-5 aliphatic monomer comprises hexafluoropropylene.

56 . The separator of any one of claims 51 - 55 , wherein the PVDF comprises a homopolymer or copolymer either of which has a mean molecular weight of about 200,000 amu or greater.

57 . The separator of any one of claims 51 - 56 , further comprising greater than about 45 wt % of zirconium oxide material.

58 . The separator of any one of claims 51 - 57 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of less than about 1 micron.

59 . The separator of any of claims 51 - 58 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder further comprises yttria.

60 . The separator of claim 59 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder further comprises from about 1 mol % to about 10 mol % of yttria.

61 . A separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

a polymer comprising a copolymer, wherein the copolymer comprises PVDF-co-HFP having a mean molecular weight of greater than about 450,000 amu; and

zirconium oxide powder having an mean grain diameter of less than about 0.75 microns,

wherein the separator has a resistance of no more than about 20 Ohm·cm.

62 . A rechargeable battery comprising:

a cathode comprising a silver material;

an anode comprising a zinc material; and

a separator comprising a polymer material comprising PVDF and zirconium oxide powder.

63 . The battery of claim 62 , wherein the PVDF comprises a homopolymer, a copolymer, or any combination thereof.

64 . The battery of claim 63 , wherein the PVDF comprises a copolymer selected from a block copolymer, an alternating copolymer, a statistical copolymer, a graft copolymer, or any combination thereof.

65 . The battery of claim 63 , wherein the PVDF comprises a copolymer comprising a VDF monomer and a halogenated C 3-5 aliphatic monomer.

66 . The battery of claim 65 , wherein the halogenated C 3-5 aliphatic monomer comprises hexafluoropropylene.

67 . The battery of any one of claims 62 - 66 , wherein the PVDF comprises a homopolymer or a copolymer either of which has a mean molecular weight of about 200,000 amu or greater.

68 . The battery of any one of claims 62 - 67 , wherein the separator further comprises greater than about 45 wt % of zirconium oxide material.

69 . The battery of any one of claims 62 - 68 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of less than about 1 micron.

70 . The battery of claim 69 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder further comprises yttria.

71 . The battery of claim 70 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder comprises from about 1 mol % to about 10 mol % of yttria.

72 . A method of manufacture of a separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

mixing a PVDF polymer material with an aprotic solvent to form a first mixture;

mixing the first mixture with a filler comprising zirconium oxide powder to form a second mixture; and

drying the mixture to generate a separator.

73 . The method of claim 72 , wherein the PVDF polymer material comprises a homopolymer, a copolymer, or any combination thereof.

74 . The method of claim 73 , wherein the PVDF polymer material comprises a PVDF-copolymer, and the PVDF-copolymer is selected from a block copolymer, an alternating copolymer, a statistical copolymer, a graft copolymer, or any combination thereof.

75 . The method of claim 74 , wherein the PVDF-copolymer comprises a VDF monomer and a halogenated C 3-5 aliphatic monomer.

76 . The method of claim 75 , wherein the halogenated C 3-5 aliphatic monomer comprises hexafluoropropylene.

77 . The method of any one of claims 72 - 77 , wherein the second mixture comprises greater than about 25 wt % zirconium oxide powder.

78 . The method of any one of claims 72 - 77 , wherein the second mixture comprises from about 50 wt % to about 90 wt % of zirconium oxide powder.

79 . The method of claim 78 , wherein the zirconium oxide powder comprises a mean grain diameter of less than about 1 micron.

80 . The method of any one of claims 72 - 79 , wherein the aprotic solvent comprises acetone, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, or any combination thereof.

81 . The method of claim 80 , wherein the aprotic solvent comprises acetone.

82 . The method of any one of claims 72 - 81 , further comprising casting the second mixture to form a film.

83 . The method of claim 82 , wherein the mixture is cast to give a film having a mean thickness of from about 0.01 inches to about 0.03 inches.

84 . The method of any one of claims 72 - 83 , further comprising adding a phthalate to the second mixture.

85 . The method of claim 84 , further comprising washing the second mixture with a washing solvent to remove the phthalate.

86 . The method of either of claim 84 or 85 wherein the phthalate is dibutyl phthalate.

87 . A method of manufacture of a separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

combining a polymer selected from PVDF homopolymer, a PVDF-copolymer, or a combination thereof, with an organic solvent to form a solution;

mixing a powder comprising zirconium oxide and yttria into the solution to form a mixture;

casting the mixture over a surface; and

drying the mixture to form a membrane.

88 . The method of claim 87 , further comprising:

mixing a phthalate into the mixture; and

washing the phthalate from the membrane with an washing solvent comprising an alcohol.

89 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the phthalate is dibutyl phthalate and alcohol is isopropyl alcohol.

90 . A separator for use in a silver-zinc rechargeable battery comprising:

a polyolefin polymer material having a mean molecular weight of at least about 500,000 amu; and

a filler comprising zirconium oxide material, wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 2 mol % to about 8 mol % of yttrium oxide, and the filler is substantially free of titanium.

91 . The separator of claim 90 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a surface area of at least about 5 m 2 /g.

92 . The separator of claim 91 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a surface area of from about 6 m 2 /g to about 15 m 2 /g.

93 . The separator of claim 90 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of less than about 1.5 microns.

94 . The separator of claim 93 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of from about 0.5 micron to about 1.2 microns.

95 . The separator of claim 90 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 2.5 mol % to about 4 mol % of yttrium oxide.

96 . The separator of claim 90 , wherein the polyolefin polymer material has a mean molecular weight of at least about 1,000,000 amu.

97 . The separator of claim 90 , further comprising about 80 wt % or more of the filler and about 20 wt % or less of the polyolefin polymer material.

98 . The separator of claim 90 , wherein the polyolefin polymer material comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

99 . A rechargeable battery comprising:

a cathode comprising a silver material;

an anode comprising a zinc material; and

a separator comprising:

a polyolefin polymer material having a mean molecular weight of at least about 500,000 amu; and

a filler comprising zirconium oxide material, wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 2 mol % to about 8 mol % of yttrium oxide, and the filler is substantially free of titanium.

100 . The battery of claim 99 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a surface area of at least about 5 m 2 /g.

101 . The battery of claim 100 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a surface area of from about 6 m 2 /g to about 15 m 2 /g.

102 . The battery of claim 99 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of less than about 1.5 microns.

103 . The battery of claim 102 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of from about 0.5 micron to about 1.2 microns.

104 . The battery of claim 99 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 2.5 mol % to about 4 mol % of yttrium oxide.

105 . The battery of claim 99 , wherein the polyolefin polymer material has a mean molecular weight of at least about 1,000,000 amu.

106 . The battery of claim 99 , wherein the separator further comprises about 80 wt % or more of the filler and about 20 wt % or less of the polyolefin polymer material.

107 . The battery of claim 99 , wherein the polyolefin polymer material comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

108 . A method of manufacturing a separator for use in silver zinc rechargeable batteries comprising:

combining a polyolefin polymer material and a filler to generate a mixture; and

processing the mixture to form a separator,

wherein the polyolefin polymer material has a mean molecular weight of at least about 500,000 amu, the filler comprises zirconium oxide material, wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 2 mol % to about 8 mol % of yttrium oxide, and the filler is substantially free of titanium.

109 . The method of claim 108 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a surface area of at least about 5 m 2 /g.

110 . The method of claim 109 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having surface area of from about 6 m 2 /g to about 15 m 2 /g.

111 . The method of claim 108 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises a powder having a mean grain diameter of less than about 1.5 microns.

112 . The method of claim 111 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises powder having a mean grain diameter of from about 0.5 micron to about 1.2 microns.

113 . The method of claim 108 , wherein the zirconium oxide material comprises from about 2.5 mol % to about 4 mol % of yttrium oxide.

114 . The method of claim 108 , wherein the polyolefin polymer material comprises a mean molecular weight of at least about 1,000,000 amu.

115 . The method of claim 108 , wherein the separator comprises 80 wt % or more of the filler and 20 wt % or less of the polyolefin polymer material.

116 . The method of claim 108 , wherein the polyolefin polymer material comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

117 . The method of claim 108 , further comprising combining a plasticizer and the polyolefin polymer material.

118 . The method of claim 117 , wherein the plasticizer comprises a petroleum oil, a lubricating oil, a fuel oil, a tall oil, a linseed oil, or any combination thereof.

119 . The method of claim 118 , wherein the mixture has a pH of less than 9.