Performance characterization of special separation rechargeable silver-zinc cells

This report presents the performance-to-date data, and silver migration rate data, for a matrix of model cells built for Mr. Al Himy by Eagle-Picher Industries, and placed on test at NAVSURFWARCENDIV Crane. The cell sets were designed to evaluate several separation modifications. Cell performance studies were conducted. Along with dissection of cells at intervals in their performance cycling and at failure to determine silver migration rates and evaluate separator behavior over the life of the cells. A total of sixty-five model cells in five sets of thirteen, of identical composition and build, were evaluated for cycle and wet life performance. The cells were nominally 30 Ah in design and were subdivided into three groups within each set, one cell for so-called baseline property analysis, five cells for wet life performance study, and seven cells for cycle life performance study. The wet life cycling consisted of 30-day wet stands at full charge between each performance discharge, while the cycle life cycling consisted of repeated performance discharges. The failure criteria for each cell were designated as either a shorting process (catastrophic loss of discharge capacity) or loss of greater than 50% of initial discharge capacity on a given performance cycle