Advanced Development Program for a Lightweight, Rechargeable "AA" Zinc-Air Battery

Those battery systems that are currently readily available (lead-acid and nickel-cadmium), as well as those that are only now becoming a vailable in limited sizes and capacities (nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion), can provide ample power for most portable equipment applications but the energy density/specific energy performance often resultsin inadequate run times. In contrast, the zinc-air system can providea specific energy of more than 150 Wh/Kg (and potentially as much as 260 Wh/Kg) at a specific power output of 150 W/Kg. This program will establish the capability of primary and secondary "AA" sized zinc-air cells, using Yardney's existing unifunctional electrodes and a newly developed bifunctional electrode, respectively. These Zn-air cells willsignificantly outperform both the currently used conventional cells, and the other advanced technology cells. In addition, the resulting cells will be environmentally benign, safe, offer a wide operating temperature range and provide a low life cycle cost for a wide array of DODand commercial portable equipment applications.