Alkaline battery including nickel oxyhydroxide cathode and zinc anode

1. An alkaline battery comprising:

a cathode comprising an active cathode material including a nickel oxyhydroxide;

an anode comprising zinc or zinc alloy particles, wherein between 35 and 75 wt % of the particles are of −200 mesh size or smaller;

a separator between the anode and the cathode; and

an alkaline electrolyte contacting the anode and the cathode.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises zinc alloy particles including at least one metal selected from indium, bismuth, tin, or aluminum.

3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxyhydroxide is a beta-nickel oxyhydroxide, a cobalt oxyhydroxide-coated beta nickel oxyhydroxide, a gamma-nickel oxyhydroxide, or a cobalt oxyhydroxide-coated gamma-nickel oxyhydroxide.

4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxyhydroxide includes particles having outer surfaces that approximate spheres, spheroids or ellipsoids.

5. The battery of claim 4 , wherein the nickel oxyhydroxide particles have an average particle size ranging from 10 to 25 microns.

6. The battery of claim 4 , wherein the nickel oxyhydroxide particles have an average particle size ranging from 15 to 20 microns.

7. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode includes a mixture of nickel oxyhydroxide and gamma-manganese dioxide.

8. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode includes carbon particles.

9. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the cathode includes between 3 wt % and 12 wt % carbon particles.

10. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the cathode includes between 6 wt % and 10 wt % carbon particles.

11. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the carbon particles include expanded graphite, natural graphite, or a blend thereof.

12. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the carbon particles include natural graphite particles having a particle size ranging between 2 and 50 microns.

13. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the carbon particles include expanded graphite particles having a particle size ranging between 0.5 and 30 microns.

14. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the carbon particles include from 10 to 90% by weight natural graphite.

15. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the carbon particles include from 10 to 90% by weight expanded graphite.

16. The battery of claim 1 , wherein at least 45 wt % of the particles are of −325 mesh size or smaller.

17. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the particles are generally acicular, having a length along a major axis at least two times a length along a minor axis.

18. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the particles are generally flakes, each flake generally having a thickness of no more than 20 percent of the maximum linear dimension of the particle.

19. An alkaline battery comprising:

a cathode comprising graphite and an active cathode material including a nickel oxyhydroxide;

an anode comprising a multi-modal distribution of zinc or zinc alloy particles and wherein between 35 and 75 wt % of said zinc or zinc alloy particles are of −200 mesh size or smaller;

a separator between the anode and the cathode; and

an alkaline electrolyte contacting the anode and the cathode.

20. The battery of claim 19 , wherein the cathode includes between 3 wt % and 12 wt % of graphite.

21. The battery of claim 19 , wherein the cathode includes between 6 wt % and 10 wt % of graphite.

22. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the graphite includes from 10 to 90% by weight natural graphite.

23. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the graphite includes from 10 to 90% by weight expanded graphite.

24. The battery of claim 19 , wherein at least 45 wt % of the particles are of −325 mesh size or smaller.

25. The battery of claim 19 , wherein the particles are generally acicular, having a length along a major axis at least two times a length along a minor axis.

26. The battery of claim 19 , wherein the particles are generally flakes, each flake generally having a thickness of no more than 20 percent of the maximum linear dimension of the particle.

27. A method of improving discharge performance after high temperature storage of an alkaline battery comprising:

providing a positive electrode including an active cathode material including nickel oxyhydroxide;

providing a zinc electrode including comprising zinc or zinc alloy particles, between 35 and 75 wt % of the zinc or zinc alloy particles are of −200 mesh size or smaller; and

forming a battery including the positive electrode and a zinc electrode.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the cathode includes between 3 wt % and 12 wt % of graphite.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the graphite includes from 10 to 90% by weight natural graphite.