Suppression of Dendrite Formation by Using a Hydrogel Separator for Zinc Alkaline Battery

A self-standing polyacrylate based hydrogel sheet was examined as a separator of an alkaline zinc secondary battery. It suppressed the zinc dendrite formation and resultant internal short circuit. The morphology of electrodeposited zinc under a hydrogel sheet was plate-like which was different from that of electrodeposited under a conventional nonwoven fabric separator. The nickel-zinc battery using the hydrogel sheet as a separator achieved more than 50 charge-discharge cycles.