A Nickel Metal Hydride Battery for Electric Vehicles

TLDR

Electric vehicles can improve urban air quality, national energy independence, and trade balance, but their feasibility hinges on efficient batteries, such as nickel‑metal hydride cells that store hydrogen in a solid hydride phase and offer high energy density, power, long life, abuse tolerance, wide temperature range, quick charging, and maintenance‑free operation. The battery uses engineered multi‑element metal hydride materials with structural and compositional disorder as the negative electrode, operates at ambient temperature, is made of nontoxic, recyclable components, and stores hydrogen in a solid hydride phase. Demonstration of the manufacturing technology has been achieved.

Abstract

Widespread use of electric vehicles can have significant impact on urban air quality, national energy independence, and international balance of trade. An efficient battery is the key technological element to the development of practical electric vehicles. The science and technology of a nickel metal hydride battery, which stores hydrogen in the solid hydride phase and has high energy density, high power, long life, tolerance to abuse, a wide range of operating temperature, quick-charge capability, and totally sealed maintenance-free operation, is described. A broad range of multi-element metal hydride materials that use structural and compositional disorder on several scales of length has been engineered for use as the negative electrode in this battery. The battery operates at ambient temperature, is made of nontoxic materials, and is recyclable. Demonstration of the manufacturing technology has been achieved.