%0 Journal Article
%A James T Nichols
%A Frank R McLarnon
%A Elton J Cairns
%B Chemical Engineering Communications
%D 1985
%G eng
%N 1-6
%P 355-379
%R 10.1080/00986448508911290
%T Zinc electrode cycle-life performance in alkaline electrolytes having reduced zinc species solubility
%V 37
%X <p>Electrolytes having 3.5 M hydroxide-ion concentration were tested in 1.35 Ah Zn/NiOOH cells to evaluate their ability to reduce the extent of zinc species migration and slow the rate of cell capacity decline. Alkaline-fluoride and alkaline-borate electrolytes, in which ZnO solubility is approximately 25° of that in standard 7.4 M KOH electrolyte, exhibited 0.09-0.14<sup>°</sup>/cycle zinc-electrode area loss, which may be compared to a value of 0.46<sup>°</sup>/cycle observed in standard electrolyte, In addition, no zinc penetration of the separator occurred in cells that employed alkaline-fluoride and alkaline-borate electrolytes, even when zinc-electrode overpotcntials reached 290 mV at the end of charge. Less than 2<sup>°</sup> of the zinc remaining after cycling was electrochemically inactive.</p>