Nickel-zinc battery

A nickel-zinc battery comprising:

• a positive electrode comprising nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide;
• a positive-electrode electrolytic solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide, the positive electrode being immersed in the positive-electrode electrolytic solution;
• a negative electrode comprising zinc and/or zinc oxide;
• a negative-electrode electrolytic solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide, the negative electrode being immersed in the negative-electrode electrolytic solution;
• a hermetic container accommodating the positive electrode, the positive-electrode electrolytic solution, the negative electrode, and the negative-electrode electrolytic solution;
• and
• a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability, the separator being disposed in the hermetic container so as to separate a positive-electrode chamber accommodating the positive electrode and the positive-electrode electrolytic solution from a negative-electrode chamber accommodating the negative electrode and the negative-electrode electrolytic solution,
• wherein the positive-electrode chamber has an extra positive-electrode space having a volume that meets a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the positive electrode during charge and discharge of the battery, and the negative-electrode chamber has an extra negative-electrode space having a volume that meets a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the negative electrode during charge and discharge of the battery, and
• (i) wherein the extra positive-electrode space has a volume greater than the amount of water that will increase in association with reaction at the positive electrode during the charge of the battery;
• the extra positive-electrode space is not preliminarily filled with the positive-electrode electrolytic solution;
• the extra negative-electrode space has a volume greater than the amount of water that will decrease in association with reaction at the negative electrode during the charge of the battery;
• and the extra negative-electrode space is preliminarily filled with an amount of the negative-electrode electrolytic solution that will decrease during the charge of the battery;
• or
• (ii) wherein the extra positive-electrode space has a volume greater than the amount of water that will decrease in association with reaction at the positive electrode during the discharge of the battery;
• the extra positive-electrode space is preliminarily filled with an amount of the positive-electrode electrolytic solution that will decrease during the discharge of the battery;
• the extra negative-electrode space has a volume greater than the amount of water that will increase in association with reaction at the negative electrode during the discharge of the battery;
• and the extra negative-electrode space is not preliminarily filled with the negative-electrode electrolytic solution.