New developments in very high rate silver oxide electrodes

Cathodes for primary silver/zinc cells were prepared using chemically synthesized silver oxides (both monovalent and divalent). The oxides were mixed with PTFE binder but with no conductive fillers for this work. The electrodes were discharged galvanostatically over a broad range of current densities (40–500 mA cm−2) and temperature (7–40 °C) in 6.3 M KOH electrolyte. The discharge capacity was greater than 90% of the theoretical value for both oxides under such conditions. At high rate (500 mA cm−2) the overvoltage of the monovalent oxide is about 50 mV less than that for the divalent oxide. A 42% improvement in energy density over anodized silver cathodes was demonstrated with the chemical AgO electrodes.