THE INFLUENCE OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF ADDED ELEMENTS ON VARIOUS ANODE PERFORMANCE-CHARACTERISTICS FOR LANI2.5CO2.5-BASED ALLOYS

The addition of small amounts of elements such as silicon, aluminium and titanium to LaNi2.5Co2.5 greatly influenced anode performance characteristics such as usable temperature range, capacity and its decay rate during repeated cycles, rate capability, low temperature dischargeability and self-discharge rate. The capacity decay was suppressed by the addition of silicon, but the rate capability decreased and the self-discharge rate increased. The alloy containing titanium exhibited a much longer cycle life, but much lower storage capacity and worse low temperature dischargeability. The addition of aluminium was very useful for improving the usable temperature range, cycle life and charge retention, and it did not cause too great a decrease in capacity and/or increase in overpotentials. © 1990.