Inventors:
Catherine L. Marsh - Exeter RI
Gerald L. Seebach - Lexington KY
John W. Van Zee - Columbia SC
Russell R. Bessette - Mattapoissett MA
Hubert G. Meunier - Holden MA
Maria G. Medeiros - Bristol RI
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC
International Classification:
H01M 488, B05D 512, B01J 2340
Abstract:
An electrocatalytic cathode that will allow hydrogen peroxide, H. sub. 2 O. 2, to behave electrochemically within an Al-H. sub. 2 O. sub. 2 battery system is provided. The electrocatalytic cathode is comprised of nickel specially coated with one or a combination of the following six metals: platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, osmium, palladium, and iridium. The use of nickel coated with the appropriate combination of metals reduces the problems of excessive peroxide decomposition, thereby producing a battery that can operate efficiently by producing a high voltage at a high current density. The electrocatalytic cathode is produced by pretreating a nickel electrode with a hydrochloric acid bath and then by applying the metal coating by plating methods.