High discharge capacity electrolytic manganese dioxide and methods of producing the same

• Main Authors: MOHAMMAD REZA MOUMENZADEH, AMY WREN UNSELL, RICHARD F. WOHLETZ, WILMONT FREDERICK HOWARD JR, VAHID KAZEROONI, TERRELL NEILS ANDERSEN, SAMUEL FAUST BURKHARDT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.07.2000
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSESC01D OR C01F; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTIONOF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

The present invention provides improved cathode material comprised of electrolytic manganese dioxide having high discharge capacity at high discharge rates and methods of producing such electrolytic manganese dioxide by electrolysis in an electrolytic cell. The methods are basically comprised of maintaining a heated high purity aqueous electrolyte solution comprising sulfuric acid and manganese sulfate in the electrolytic cell, the manganese sulfate being present in the solution whereby it contains in the range of from about 5 to about 50 grams of manganese per liter of solution. An electric current is applied to the electrodes of the electrolytic cell whereby the anodic electrode current density is in the range of from about 2.5 to about 6 amperes per square foot.