Stockholm University in Sweden has developed a new method that can extend the life of nickel-metal hydride batteries several times. This means that the number of times this type of battery is charged will be increased, but No loss of battery capacity. This method means that the battery can be repaired after it is exhausted, unlike other rechargeable batteries, which must be thawed to be recycled.
Nickel metal hydride batteries are developed from nickel-hydrogen batteries (NiH2). Compared with other batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries have always been known for their long battery life.
This type of battery has a large structure and is very impractical because hydrogen needs to be stored in a hydrogen tank. However, nickel metal hydride batteries are more compact in design, and their hydrogen is stored in a metal alloy / metal hydride, which has the same hydrogen density as liquid hydrogen. Researchers at Stockholm University in Sweden have developed new technologies that make the life of nickel metal hydride batteries the same as those of large nickel-metal hydride batteries. The design of the new technology was inspired by the new nickel metal hydride battery manufactured by Nilar AB in Gävle.
In nickel metal hydride batteries, hydrogen is bound in a metal alloy. This solution is very effective, but the battery is prone to aging, because the alloy will slowly corrode and consume the water-based electrolyte as the battery material dries. This corrosion will affect the internal balance of the battery motor.
The technical breakthrough of the R & D personnel lies in that they have added oxygen to the battery, which aims to repair and restore the lost battery electrode balance, and replace the lost electrolyte, which can hinder the aging reaction. If Nilar's battery structure is used, the above requirements can be easily realized, because all the cells share the same gas space. As long as the correct ratio of hydrogen and oxygen is achieved, the service life of nickel metal hydride batteries can be improved, making them far longer than conventional batteries.