KOH concentration effect on the cycle life of nickel-hydrogen cells. IV - Results of failure analysis

Potassium hydroxide concentration effects on the cycle life of a Ni/H2 cell have been studied by carrying out a cycle life test on ten Ni/H2 boiler plate cells which contain electrolytes of various KOH concentrations. Failure analyses of these cells were carried out after completion of the life test, which accumulated up to 40,000 cycles at an 80-percent depth of discharge over a period of 3.7 years. These failure analyses included studies on changes of electrical characteristics of test cells, and component analyses after disassembly of the cell. The component analyses included visual inspections, dimensional changes, capacity measurements of nickel electrodes, scanning electron microscopy, surface area measurements, and chemical analyses. Results have indicated that failure mode and change in the nickel electrode varied as the concentration was varied, especially when the concentration was changed from 31 percent or higher to 26 percent or lower.