Zinc/air cell

Abstract

A fluorosurfactant, preferably an anionic fluorosurfactant, can be added to the anode mixture of a zinc/air cell. A desirable surfactant is an anionic fluoroaliphaticcarboxylate. The addition of the surfactant reduces gassing and improves cell performance. The anode casing can also be treated with the surfactant solution prior to inserting the anode mixture therein. The anode casing of a zinc/air depolarized cell can also be heat treated after the casing has been formed but before anode material comprising zinc is inserted therein. The anode casing has a layer of copper on its inside surface. The process comprises heat treating the anode casing by passing a gas at a temperature between about 200° C. and 700° C., preferably between about 300° C. and 600° C. in contact therewith to form a heat treated anode casing and then cooling said heat treated anode casing to ambient temperature. The heat treated anode casing is stored away from atmospheric air until anode active material is inserted therein during cell assembly. The heat treating process significantly reduces gassing during cell discharge and storage and eliminates the need to add mercury to the anode material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.