The Use and Behavior of Aluminum Anodes in Alkaline Primary Batteries

Abstract

The two‐ to threefold reduction in over‐all theoretical reactant weight (and usually also volume) which results from replacing Zn by Al in alkaline primary batteries could best be preserved in practice with a "self‐regenerating" electrolyte in large (>1 kw) Al‐air (or −O2) power sources, whereas small Al‐air (or −O2 or − ) reserve cells should function best with a consumable solution. Special attention is given to the use of Al in Al‐air cells with porous C or, preferably, porous Ni air cathodes. Anode polarization and current efficiency data are presented for both the self‐regenerating and the consumable electrolytes with and without several effective corrosion inhibitors consisting of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium salts and/or Hg with or without . It is concluded that optimum battery performance would result from the use of some of these inhibitors, as well as from elimination of sulfides and other corrosion accelerators, use of highly pure Al or specially resistant Al‐Mg, Al‐Zn, or Al‐Hg alloys, effective heat removal, operation at high current densities (preferably ≥10 ma/cm2), and anode‐electrolyte separation during periods of inaction.