Alkaline battery separators having controlled pore size
An alkaline battery separator is made from a blend of polyvinyl alcohol and a cellulose derivative, and has a controlled pore size.
1. An alkaline battery separator comprising a blend of about 40% polyvinyl alcohol and about 60% lyocell fibers and wherein the separator has a max pore size of about 5.2 microns or less.
2. The alkaline battery separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator has a mean pore size of less than about 4.0 μm.
3. The alkaline battery separator of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the alkaline battery separator is from about 60 μm to about 100 μm when under 100 kPa of pressure.
4. The alkaline battery separator of claim 2 , wherein the separator has an MD tensile strength from about 2200 cN/15 mm to about 3600 cN/15 mm.
5. The alkaline battery separator of claim 4 , wherein the MD tensile strength of the alkaline battery separator is from about 2500 cN/15 mm to about 2900 cN/15 mm.
6. The alkaline battery separator of claim 1 , wherein an the amount of soluble polyvinyl alcohol in the blend is from about 12% to about 14%.
7. The alkaline battery separator of claim 1 , wherein the capillary rise in KOH of the alkaline battery separator is from about 4 mm/5 mn to about 18 mm/5 mn.
8. An alkaline battery comprising:
first and second electrodes; and
a separator positioned between the first and second electrodes, the separator made from a blend of about 60% polyvinyl alcohol and about 40% lyocell fibers, wherein the separator has a max pore size of about 5.2 microns or less.
9. The alkaline battery of claim 8 , wherein the separator has a mean pore size of less than about 4.0 μm.
10. The alkaline battery of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the separator is from about 60 μm to about 100 μm when under 100 kPa of pressure.
11. The alkaline battery of claim 9 , wherein the separator has an MD tensile strength from about 2200 cN/15 mm to about 3600 cN/15 mm.
12. The alkaline battery of claim 11 , wherein the MD tensile strength of the separator is from about 2500 cN/15 mm to about 2900 cN/15 mm.
13. The alkaline battery of claim 8 , wherein an amount of soluble polyvinyl alcohol in the blend is from about 12% to about 14%.
14. The alkaline battery of claim 8 , wherein the capillary rise in KOH of the separator is from about 4 mm/5 mn to about 18 mm/5 mn.