Rechargeable battery with pseudo-reference electrode

1. A rechargeable battery comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode;

an electrolyte incorporated with the anode and the cathode; and

a pseudo-reference electrode at least partially in contact with the electrolyte, wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is positioned within one of the anode active material or the cathode active material.

2. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , wherein the pseudo-reference electrode comprises a metal wire positioned within the rechargeable battery.

3. The rechargeable battery of claim 2 , wherein the metal wire comprises nickel or gold.

4. The rechargeable battery of claim 2 , wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is characterized by a voltage drift of less than or about 5 mV/day.

5. The rechargeable battery of claim 2 , wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is characterized by thickness less than or about 0.2 mm.

6. The rechargeable battery of claim 2 , wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is coated with a polymeric material.

7. The rechargeable battery of claim 6 , wherein the polymeric material is configured to afford distribution of hydroxide ions across the polymeric material to contact the metal wire.

8. The rechargeable battery of claim 6 , further comprising a window defined by the polymeric material to expose a portion of the metal wire.

9. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a zinc-containing material, and wherein the cathode comprises a manganese-containing material, a nickel-containing material, or a silver-containing material.

10. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a solution of KOH characterized by a pH greater than or about 12.

11. A battery cell comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing comprises a pouch of a polymeric material;

an anode active material;

a cathode active material;

a separator positioned between the anode active material and the cathode active material;

an electrolyte incorporated with the anode active material and the cathode active material; and

a pseudo-reference electrode at least partially in contact with the electrolyte, wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is a metal electrically isolated from the anode active material and the cathode active material, and wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is incorporated within the housing.

12. The battery cell of claim 11 , wherein the metal of the pseudo-reference electrode is selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, nickel, iridium, palladium, titanium, and tungsten.

13. The battery cell of claim 11 , wherein the pseudo-reference electrode is coated with a polymeric material to electrically isolate the pseudo-reference electrode from the anode active material and the cathode active material.

14. The battery cell of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric material is stable at environmental conditions above or about 14 pH.

15. A battery cell comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing comprises a pouch of a polymeric material;

an anode active material;

a cathode active material;

a separator positioned between the anode active material and the cathode active material;

an electrolyte incorporated with the anode active material and the cathode active material;

a first pseudo-reference electrode at least partially in contact with the electrolyte, wherein the first pseudo-reference electrode is positioned proximate the cathode active material;

a second pseudo-reference electrode at least partially in contact with the electrolyte, wherein the second pseudo-reference electrode is positioned proximate the anode active material; and

a third pseudo-reference electrode at least partially in contact with the electrolyte, wherein the third pseudo-reference electrode is incorporated within the housing.

16. The battery cell of claim 15 , wherein the first pseudo-reference electrode and the second pseudo-reference electrode are coated with a hydroxide-conducting polymer.