Nickel metal hybride battery containing a modified disordered multiphase nickel hydroxide positive electrode

A disordered positive electrode for use in an alkaline rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising:

• a nickel hydroxide material and carbon, where
• said nickel hydroxide material has at least one compositional modifier incorporated into it to promote a multiphase structure where each phase of said multiphase structure is a solid solution,
• said multiphase structure comprising at least one phase that is polycrystalline .gamma.-phase material where cycling of said nickel hydroxide material and carbon takes place in disordered .alpha. and .gamma. phases,
• said .gamma.-phase material comprising spacedly disposed plates having a chemical modifier incorporated around said plates,
• said plates having a range of stable intersheet distances corresponding to a 2.sup.+ oxidation state and a 3.5.sup.+, or greater, oxidation state;
• and
• where said carbon
• provides for cycling of disordered .alpha./.gamma. phases of said nickel hydroxide material by promoting stability of multiple disordered nickel hydroxide phases;
• increases surface area by creating density changes, and
• increases conductivity by the formation of filamentous conductive regions from areas of higher conductivity to individual nickel hydroxide particles.