Project Title:

Rechargeable, Sealed Zinc-Oxygen Cells

10.08-9450
912236
Rechargeable, Sealed Zinc-Oxygen Cells
EIC Laboratories, Inc.
111 Downey Street
Norwood
MA
02062
Gerhard L.
Holleck
617-769-9450
JSC
NAS9-18708
213

10.08-9450
912236

Abstract:

Rechargeable, Sealed Zinc-Oxygen Cells
NASA requires rechargeable electrical energy storage for manned applications. Batteries
need to be safe, compact, and of high specific energy. This will be achieved by development
of hermetically sealed zinc-oxygen cells with bifunctional-oxide-catalyzed cathodes
and long-cycle-life zinc anodes. Phase I includes design, tradeoff studies, prototype
fabrication, and testing of cells to demonstrate system feasibility and establish
component and design parameters for optimization during Phase II. After development,
it is expected that a practical rechargeable Zn-O2 cell of approximately D-size will
have a specific energy of 120 to 150 Wh/kg, an energy density of 150 to 250 Wh/l,
and a life exceeding 200 cycles. This represents a three- to four-fold increase in
specific energy over NiCd cells. Sealed rechargeable Zn-02 batteries would be suitable
power supplies for cameras, tools, scientific instrumentation, and life support backpacks.
The rapidly expanding variety of portable electronic and electromechanical products
places a high demand on light-weight rechargeable batteries. Sealed Zn-02 will be
particularly useful for weight-sensitive applications such as commercial and military
space missions, for hand-held tools and devices, and for electric automobiles.
zinc, oxygen, sealed, rechargeable, alkaline, perovskite