NiMH Handbook and App Manual

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
Han ndbook and Application Manual n

Energi izer Battery Manufacturing Inc. | 800-383-7323 (USA-CAN) | www.energizer r.com
Nickel Metal Hydride

Versio NiMH01.11 on:
Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling
In ntroductio on
Th number of por he rtable battery op perated electronic devices c ha grown tremendously. Consume can be confu as ers used as to wh hich battery to buy for these dev vices. This handb book will pr rovide a better un nderstanding of rechargeable Nic ckel Metal Hy ydride (NiMH) ba atteries, their use and advantage for the e, es co onsumer. Ma battery appli any ications are well suited to be pow wered by NiMH re echargeable batt teries. In genera devices al, that require large amounts of ener and are used frequently are w matched to t performance a rgy d well the e ch haracteristics of NiMH batteries. Examples of thes devices would include digital ca N E se ameras, GPS uni and MP3 its, pla ayers. Ea AA NiCd rech arly hargeable batteries provided appr of echargeable roximately 25% of the capacity o alkaline non-re ba atteries. However the latest AA NiMH batteries pr r, N rovide approxima ately 75% of the capacity of alka e aline AA ba atteries at low dr rain rates and can surpass alkalin performance in high drain app n ne n plications (i.e. dig gital ca ameras). Th true advantag of NiMH batter he ge ries can be found in the cycle life (reuse after cha d e arging). Typically NiMH y ba atteries can be re echarged hundre of times, pote eds entially allowing them to be equiv valent to hundre of alkaline eds ba atteries in total se ervice over their lifetime. Howeve battery life is limited to 5 yea or less. This c make er, s ars can rechargeable NiMH batteries a cost effective power source for man frequently use battery operat devices H t r ny ed ted found in the home or office. e So ome of the advan ntages of the nickel-metal hydrid e battery are: Energy density which can be translated i nto either long r times or redu d run uction in the spac necessary ce for the battery. b Elimination of the constr raints on battery manufacture, us sage, and dispos imposed because of sal concerns over cadmium toxicity. s Simplifie incorporation into products cu rrently using nick cadmium bat ed kel tteries because o the many of design similarities betwe the two chem s een mistries. Greater service advantag over other priimary battery typ at low tempe ge pes erature extremes operating at s -20C.
ypical Applicati ions Ty Th nickel-metal hydride battery is currently finding widespread ap he h s g pplication in those high-end porta e able ele ectronic products where battery performance par s p rameters, notably run time, are a major considera y ation in the pu urchase decision. . Hi istory of NiMH Batteries Nickel-metal hydrid batteries are essentially an ex de xtension of the p roven sealed nic ckel-cadmium bat ttery technology with th substitution of a hydrogen-abs he f sorbing negative electrode for the cadmium-based electrode. e While this substitution increases th batterys elect he trical capacity (m measured in ampe ere-hours) for a given weight an volume and el nd liminates the cad dmium which rais toxicity conce ses erns, the remain nder of the nickel l-metal hy ydride battery is quite similar to the nickel-cadmiu product. Man application parameters are little changed t um ny be etween the two battery types. (T b Table 1) compare key design fea es atures between b battery chemistri ies.
2010 Energizer This document was prep 0 d pared for informatio onal purposes only. Do not use this do . ocument as a legall citation to authori ity. Conten herein do not co nts onstitute a warranty of service, featur or performance. y res
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling Typical Application Feature es Rated Volt tage Discharge Ca apacity Recharge Capability Discharge Volta Profile age Self Discharg Rate ge Low Temperature Performance Battery We eight
NiMH vs. Lithi um Primary
Ni iMH vs. Alkaline
1.25V vs 1.5V s. MH s y NiM will not last as long as primary lithium (sing cycle) gle everal hundred c cycles for NiMH, Se N/A for lithiu m primary Both relatively f discharge flat 0% NiMH retains 50-80 @ 6 months Lithium retains 80 @ 15 years 0% Lithium better than NiMH r Lithium is lighter s Recycling optio available ons for NiMH an lithium nd
1 1.25V vs. 1.5V NiMH lasts lo onger in high dra less in ain, light drain devices than a alkaline Several hu undred cycles for NiMH, r N/A f alkaline prima for ary NiMH is flat vs. slope H ed for alkaline NiMH retai 50-80% @ 6 months ins Alkaline r retains 80% @ 7 years NiMH better than alkaline Al lkaline is lighter Recycling options available for NiM and some alka MH aline
Environmenta Issues al
Ta able 1 - Summary Comparison of AA-AAA Nickel-M y Metal Hydride, Pr rimary Lithium and Alkaline Ge eneral Charact teristics Typically can be recharged hundreds of t y times. Efficient at high rate disc charges. Significa antly higher capacity than nickel-c cadmium batterie es. Typical expectancy life is 2 to 5 years. e s Operates well at a wide range of temper ratures: Charging 0 C to 50 C Discharging 0 C to 50 C 0
Battery De B escription
Th nickel-metal hydride battery ch he h hemistry is a hyb brid of the prove positive electro chemistry of the sealed en ode f atures of metal a nic ckel-cadmium ba attery with the en nergy storage fea alloys developed for advanced hy ydrogen en nergy storage con ncepts. This heritage in a positive e-limited battery design results in batteries provid y n ding en nhanced capacitie while retaining the well-charac es g cterized electrica and physical de al esign features of the sealed f nic ckel-cadmium ba attery design.
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A cutaway (Fig. 1) of a typical cylin ndrical NiMH batt tery is illustrated in the following diagram: d g Click here for large view er
(Fig. 1) Typical NiM Battery MH Electrochemistry y: Th electrochemist of the nickelhe try -metal hydride ba attery is generallly represented by the following c y charge and dis scharge reactions:
Ch harge
At the negative ele t ectrode, in the pr resence of the allloy and with an electrical potent applied, the w tial water in the ele ectrolyte is decom mposed into hyd drogen atoms, wh hich are absorbe into the alloy, and hydroxyl ion as ed ns ind dicated below. Alloy + H2O + e` Alloy (H) + OH` At the positive elec t ctrode, the charg reaction is bas on the oxida ge sed ation of nickel hy ydroxide just as it is in the t nic ckel-cadmium co ouple. Ni(OH)2 + OH` NiOOH + H2O + e` N e
Di ischarge
At the negative ele t ectrode, the hydr rogen is desorbe and combines with a hydroxyl ion to form wate while also ed er co ontributing an ele ectron to the circ cuit. Alloy (H) + OH` Alloy + H2O + e` e At the positive elec t ctrode, nickel oxy yhydroxide is red duced to its lowe valence state, nickel hydroxide er e. NiOOH + H2O + e` Ni(OH)2 + OH H`
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling Ne egative Electro ode Th basic concept of the nickel-me hydride batte negative elec he etal ery ctrode emanated from research o the d on sto orage of hydroge for use as an alternative energ source in the 1970s. Certain m en gy metallic alloys we observed ere to form hydrides th could capture (and release) h hat e hydrogen in volu umes up to nearly a thousand tim their own y mes vo olume. By careful selection of the alloy constituen and proportio l e nts ons, the thermodynamics could be balanced to e peratures. The g pe ermit the absorpt tion and release process to proce at room temp eed general result is s shown schematically in (F 2) where the much smaller hy Fig. e ydrogen atom is shown absorbed into the interst s d tices of an all crystal structure. The metal hydride electrode has a theoretica capacity >40 p loy h e al percent higher th the han ca admium electrode in a nickel-cadm e mium couple. As a result, nickel- metal hydride ba s atteries provide e energy de ensities that are >20 percent high than the equ her uivalent nickel-ca admium battery.
(Fig. 2) Schematic of Metal-Alloy Structure Within N S NiMH Negative E Electrode Po ositive Electrod de Th nickel-metal hydride positive electrode design draws heavily on experience with nickel-cadmium electrodes. he h e n m Th hese electrodes are economical and rugged exhib a biting excellent h igh-rate perform mance, long cycle life, and go capacity. The present standard NiMH positive electrode is pas ood e e sted and includes a Ni-foam carri s ier. Th balance betwe the positive and negative ele he een a ectrodes is adjust so that the b ted battery is always positivelim mited as illustrate in (Fig. 3). This means that th negative electr ed he rode possesses a greater capacit than the ty po ositive. The posit tive will reach full capacity first as the battery is c s charged. It then w generate oxy will ygen gas that dif ffuses to the neg gative electrode where it is recom w mbined. This oxyg recombinatio cycle is an eff gen on ficient way of ha andling low to mo oderate overchar currents. rge
(Fig. 3) Relative El lectrode Balances During Dischar s rge/Charge/Over rcharge
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling Electrolyte Th electrolyte use in the nickel-m he ed metal hydride ba attery is alkaline, a 20% to 40% w weight % solutio of alkaline on hy ydroxide containing other minor constituents to e nhance battery p c performance. Se eparator Th baseline mate he erial for the separ rator, which prov vides electrical is solation between the electrodes w while still all lowing efficient io onic diffusion. Ty ypically this is a n non-woven polyo olefin. Ba attery Construc ction Th nickel-metal hydride couple lends itself to the w he h wound construct tion shown in (Fi 1), which is similar to that ig. us by cylindrical nickel-cadmium LI ion and prim sed m, mary lithium batte eries. The basic components con nsist of the wiched electrode are wound tog po ositive and negat tive electrodes in nsulated by separ rators. The sandw es gether and ins serted into a met tallic can that is sealed after inje ection of electroly yte. Nickel-metal hydrid batteries are typically sealed d de designs with met tallic cases and t tops that are elec ctrically ins sulated from eac other. The cas serves, as the negative termin for the battery while the top is the positive ch se e nal y s terminal. Finished battery designs may use a plastiic insulating wrap pper shrunk over the case to pro r ovide ele ectrical isolation between cells in typical battery a applications. Nick kel-metal hydride batteries conta a e ain resealable safety vent built into the top, as shown in (Fig. 4). The n v e nickel-metal hydr ride battery is de esigned so the oxygen recomb bination cycle de escribed earlier is capable of reco s ombining gases f formed during ov vercharge un nder normal oper rating conditions, thus maintainin pressure equilibrium within the battery. Howev ng ver, in cases of extended overch harge or incompatible battery/ch harger combinatio for the opera ons ating environmen it is nt, po ossible that oxyge and hydroge will be genera en, en, ated faster than it can be recomb bined. In such ca ases the sa afety vent will open to reduce the pressure and pr e revent battery ru upture. The vent reseals once the pressure is e relieved. The expu ulsion of gas thru the resealable v u vent can carry el ectrolyte, which may form crysta or rust als on outside the can. nce c
(Fig. 4) Picture of Resealable Vent Mechanism
Discharging Charact D teristics

Th discharge beh he havior of the nick kel-metal hydride battery is gener e rally well suited t the needs of t to todays ele ectronic products - especially tho requiring a st s ose table voltage for extended period of operations, or high rate ds dis scharge. De efinitions of Ca apacity Th principal batte parameter of interest to a pro he ery oduct designer is usually the run time available under a s sp pecified equipmen use profile. While establishing actual run times in the product is vital prior to final adoption nt W s of a design; batter screening and initial design are often performe using rated ca ry e ed apacities. Designe should ers ons nd f thoroughly understand the conditio under which a battery rating is established an the impact of differences in rating conditions on projected pe s erformance. The standard batter rating, often a e ry abbreviated as C, is the , ca apacity obtained from a new, but thoroughly cond ditioned battery s subjected to a co onstant-current d discharge at
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling room temperature after being optim mally charged. S Since battery cap pacity varies inversely with the dis scharge rate, ca apacity ratings de epend on the disc charge rate used For nickel-met hydride batter d. tal ries, the rated ca apacity is no ormally determined at a discharge rate that fully d e depletes the batt tery in five hours Up to five cycles are s. all lowed to reach fu capacity. ull Ma charge and discharge parameters are norma lized by the C rate since battery performance wit any d thin a family of varying battery sizes and capacities is often iden ntical when comp pared on the C b basis. In nternal Resistance NiMH batteries hav a relatively low internal resista ve w ance (IR) due to the wound cons struction, enhanc contacts ced an large surface area of the electrodes. The low b nd a battery IR allows NiMH batteries to have excellen high rate s nt pe erformance. The IR of fresh, fully charged NiMH b y batteries is typica less than 50 milliohms. Durin discharge, ally ng the battery IR will stay relatively co onstant until nea end of life whe it will rise sha ar ere arply. Th graph below (Fig. 5) shows the calculated IR ( he ( (change in voltag change in c ge current) during a 750 mA dis scharge with a 10 mA pulse ever 6 minutes. The IR of NiMH bat ry e tteries will increa with age and use. This ase wo ould typically be seen in a lower operating voltag as well as a higher voltage dur ge ring charge. IR is also s inc creased as you cycle the battery based on age an use. c nd
(Fig. 5) Calculated IR Vo oltage During Discharge D Th discharge volt he tage profile, in ad ddition to the tra ansient effects discussed above, i affected by en is nvironmental co onditions, notably discharge temp y perature and disc charge rate. How wever, under mos conditions the voltage st e cu urve retains the flat plateau desira f able for electron ics applications. Sh hape of Discharge Curve A typical discharge profile for a bat e ttery discharged at the 5-hour ra (the 0.2C rate is shown in (F 6). The ate e) Fig. ini itial drop from an open-circuit vo n oltage of approxim mately 1.4 volts to the 1.2 volt plateau occurs rap pidly.
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling (Fig. 6) Typical Dis scharge Profile / NiMH Battery

ttery exhibits a s Sim milar to lithium AA primary batteries, the nickel-m A metal hydride bat sharp "knee" at t end of the the discharge whe the voltage dr ere rops quickly. As c be seen by t flatness of th plateau and th symmetry can the he he of the curve, the mid-point voltage (MPV - the volta when 50 percent of the avai m e tage ilable capacity is discharged) pr rovides a useful approximation to average voltage throughout the discharge. a o e e
En nvironmental Effects E Th principal envir he ronmental influen nces on the locat tion and shape o the voltage pro of ofile are the discharge temperature and discharge rate. As indicated in (Fiig. 7), small varia d ations from room temperature ( 10oC) do m no appreciably aff ot fect the nickel-m metal hydride batt tery voltage prof file. However ma ajor excursions, e especially low temperature will reduce the mid-point volta while mainta wer es, e age aining the genera shape of the voltage al pr rofile.
(Fig. 7) Midpoint Voltage Variation with Temperatu V ure Th effect of disch he harge rate on voltage profile is sh hown in (Fig. 8). There is no sign nificant effect on the shape of the discharge curv for rates unde 1C; for rates o ves er over 1C; both the beginning and ending transient consume a e ts lar rger portion of th discharge duration. he
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling (Fig. 8) Voltage Pr rofile Variation with Discharge Ra ate Di ischarge Capac city Behavior
As with the voltage profile, the cap s e pacity available d during discharge is dramatically a affected by the battery temperature during discharge and the rate of disch g harge. The capac is also heavily influenced by t history of city the the battery, i.e. the charge/dischar rge/storage histo of the battery A battery can only discharge th capacity ory y. he wh hich has been returned to it from the previous ch m harge cycle less w whatever is lost t self discharge. to Ef ffect of Temper rature Th primary effect of battery temperature on disc he ts chargeable capac city, assuming ad dequate charging are at g, low temperature (<0oC) as show in (Fig. 9). Us of nickel meta hydride batteri in cold enviro wer es wn se al ies onments may force significant ca apacity derating from room-temp f perature values.
(Fig. 9) Variation of Discharge Cap o pacity with Tempe erature (Fig. 10) illustrates the influence of discharge rate on total capacity available. There is no significan effect on s f y e nt ca apacity for discha arge rates below 1C. At discharge rates above 1C and below the c e C current maximum discharge m rate of 4C, significa reductions in voltage delivery occur. This volt ant n y tage reduction m also result in capacity may n reduction dependin on the choice of discharge ter ng e rmination voltage e.
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling (Fig. 10) Effect of Discharge Rate on Capacity o St tate-of-Charge Measurement e t
A major question for users of porta f able electronics i s the run time le before they ne to recharge their eft eed ba atteries. Users wa some form of "fuel gauge" to help them dete ant o o ermine when they need to charge again. A y e va ariety of schemes for measuring state-of-charge h s s have been sugge ested. The flatness of the voltage plateau e un nder normal disch harge rates, and due to depende ence on cycles an time paramete voltage sens nd ers, sing cannot be used to accurat e tely determine st tate-of-charge. To date, the only form of state-of-c o f charge sensing f found to consiste ently give reason nable results is co oulometry co omparing the elec ctrical flows during charge and d ischarge with se discharge com elf mpensation to ind dicate the ca apacity remaining g. Memory/Voltage Depression e Ag gain, this is no lo onger a concern. The issue of "me emory" or voltag depression wa a concern for many ge as de esigners of device using nickel-c es, cadmium batterie In some appllications where n es. nickel-cadmium b batteries are routinely partially discharged, a de d epression in the d discharge voltage profile of appro e oximately 150 mV per battery V ha been reported when the discha as arge extends fro m the routinely d discharged to rar rely discharged z zones. While the severity of this problem in nick s kel-cadmium batt teries is open to differing interpre etations, the sou urce of the eff the fect is generally agreed to be in the structure of t cadmium ele t ectrode. With the elimination of c e cadmium in the nickel-metal hy ydride battery, memory is no lon ger a concern. m Di ischarge Termi ination To prevent the pot o tential for irrever rsible harm to th e battery caused by battery reve d ersal in discharge removal of e, the load from the battery prior to total discharge is highly recomme t s ended. The typic voltage profile for a cal e ba attery carried through a total disc charge involves a dual plateau vo oltage profile as i indicated in (Fig. 11). The . vo oltage plateaus are caused by the discharge of fir the positive ellectrode and then the residual ca e rst apacity in the ne egative. At the po both electrod are reversed substantial hyd oint des d, drogen gas evolu ution occurs, whi may ich result in battery ve enting as well as irreversible dam mage.
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling (Fig. 11) Nickel-Me Hydride Batt etal tery Polarity Reve ersal Voltage Pro ofile A key to avoiding harm to the battery is to termina prior to reach h ate hing the second p plateau where da amage may oc ccur. Two issues complicate the selection of the p s proper voltage fo discharge term or mination: high-rat discharges te an multiple-cell applications. nd Voltage Cutoff at High Rates V a No ormally discharge cutoff is based on voltage drop with a value of 0.9 volts per ba e ps f attery (75 percen of the 1.2 nt vo per battery no olt ominal mid-point voltage) often b being used. 0.9 v volts is an excelle value for mos medium to ent st lon ng-term discharg for individual battery applicatio (<1C). Howe ge ons ever, with high d drain-rate usage (1-4C), the ch hange in shape in the voltage cur with the more rounded "knee to the curve m n rve e e" means that an arb bitrary 0.9V/battery cutoff may be premat ff ture, leaving a siignificant fraction of the battery c n capacity untappe For this ed. reason, a better ch hoice for voltage cutoff in high-ra applications i 75 percent of t mid-point vo ate is the oltage at that dis scharge rate. No however, tha this choice of e ote, at end-of-discharge voltage (EODV) is dictated only by e ) co onsiderations of preventing damage to the battery p y. Th here may be end-application justi ification for selec ction of a higher voltage cutoff w the resulting sacrifice of with so ome potential add ditional capacity. Cy ycle Life Ma factors can affect NiMH (charge / discharge) cycle life. Some of these factors do include batte capacity, any a s ery temperature, depth of discharge, design materials, charge and disc d , charge current, e exposure to overc charge and ov discharge, sto ver orage conditions, and age. Some of these factors can cause gas g , e s generation within the battery n wh hich can lead to activation of the safety vent and subsequent per rmanent deteriora ation of the battery. Under ide controlled conditions, up to one thousand cyc eal o cles can be obtai ned with NiMH b batteries. Howeve in real er, wo use, the fact orld tors mentioned above can have a negative impac on the number of total cycles t a ct r that may be ex xperienced.
Charging Characteristics C C
Pr roper charging of nickel-metal hydride batteries is a key factor to satisfaction with performance. S f s h Successful ch harging balances the need for qui ick, thorough cha arging with the n need to minimize overcharging, a key factor e in prolonging life. In addition, a selected charger sh hould be econom mical and reliable in use. See charger manual e for additional infor rmation on charg ging techniques a termination. and In general, the nic ckel-metal hydride battery is more sensitive to cha e arging conditions than the nickel s l-cadmium ba attery. Under cha arging can cause low service whe overcharging can cause loss o cycle life. ere of
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling Nickel-metal hydrid batteries oper de rate on an exoth hermic, hydrogen n-based charging and oxygen rec g combination pr rocess. Precautions should be tak to avoid vent ken ting. Should vent ting occur, the ve gases must b properly ent be ma anaged. (F 12) sketches typical behavior of a nickel-meta hydride batter being charged at the C rate. T Fig. s r tal ry d These curves bo indicate why charge control is important and illustrate some o the battery cha oth s of aracteristics used to d de etermine when ch harge control sho ould be applied. Th voltage spikes up on initial cha he s arging then contiinues to rise grad dually through charging until full charge is ac chieved. Then as the battery reac ches full charge, the voltage peak and then grad ks dually trends dow wn. e Sin the charge process is exothe nce p ermic, heat is bei ng released thro oughout charging giving a positive slope to g the temperature cu urve. When the battery reaches o b overcharge wher the bulk of the electrical energ input to re e gy the battery is conv verted to heat, th battery tempe he erature increases dramatically. Ba s attery pressure, w which inc creases somewhat during the cha arge process, als rises dramatic so cally in overcharg as greater qua ge antities of ga are generated at the C rate tha the battery ca recombine. W as an an Without a safety v vent, uncontrolled charging at this rate could resu in physical da ult amage to the bat ttery.
(Fig. 12) Increasin Battery Pressu ng ure Ch harge acceptance in the nickel-metal hydride batt e tery decreases w rising temper with rature beginning below 20C g an continuing thr nd rough the upper limits of normal battery operatio n (Fig. 13).
(Fig. 13) Effect of Charge Rate on Charge Acceptan nce
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling Re ecommended Charging Rates C s Ty ypically a modera rate (2 to 3 hour) smart charg is preferred f NiMH batterie The batteries are ate h ger for es. s r) pr rotected from ove ercharge by the smart charger ci rcuitry. Extreme ly fast charging ( (less than 1 hour can impact eded basis. Slow overnight time based chargers are also ba attery cycle life and should be lim mited to an as nee w er s ac cceptable and can be an economi n ical alternative to smart chargers A charger that applies a 0.1 C rate for 12 to o s. 14 hours is well su 4 uited for NiMH ba atteries. Finally a maintenance (o trickle) charge rate of less than 0.025 C or e n ffects of (C C/40) is recomme ended. The use of very small trick charges is pre o kle eferred to reduce the negative ef e ov vercharging.
Storage S
Th guidance is not intended for bulk transpo his f ortation or bulk storage of NiMH batteries. k
Es ssentially all batte eries gradually discharge over tim whether they are used or not This capacity lo is me y t. oss typically due to slo parasitic react ow tions occurring w within the battery As such, the lo rate (self-disc y. oss charge rate) is a function of the battery chemist and the temp e try perature environm ment experience by the battery Due to the ed y. temperature sensit tivity of the self-discharge reactio ons, relatively sm differences in storage tempe mall erature may result in large diffe erences in self-di ischarging rate. E Extended storage with a load con e nnected not only speeds the y dis scharge process, but may also ca , ause chemical ch hanges after the battery is discha arged, which may be difficult y or impossible to re r everse. Ba attery storage iss sues of concern to most consume relate either t the speed with which the cells lose their t ers to s ca apacity after bein charged or the ability of the ce to charge and discharge "nor ng e ells d rmally" after stor rage for some pe eriod of time Se Discharge elf NiMH batteries will self discharge due to slow inter nal electrochemiical reactions tha continually tak place d at ke wi ithin batteries. These reactions gradually drain th battery over tiime. NiMH batter he ries will typically retain ap pproximately 50% to 80% of thei capacity after 6 months of stor % ir rage. NiMH batte eries that are sto ored at high temperatures will self discharge fas s ster due to the in ncreased reactio rates caused b the elevated te on by emperature.
Recommended St R torage Conditions for Maximum B s Battery Performa ance

Store at the lowest fea asible temperatu ures (-20C to 30 being the ge 0C enerally recomme ended storag temperatures) ge ). Store batteries open-c circuit to eliminat loaded storage effects (see ne page). te e ext Store in a charged con ndition (except fo large bulk vol umes). for Store in a clean, dry, protected enviro onment to minim ize physical dam mage to batteries. . Use good inventory pr g ractices (first in, first out) to redu time batterie spend in stora uce es age.
apacity Recove After Storag ery ge Ca In normal practice, stored batteries will provide ful l capacity on the first discharge a s e after removal fro storage om an charging with standard methods. Batteries sto red for an extended period or at elevated temperatures may nd require more than one cycle to atta pre-storage c ain capacities. Consu ultation with the manufacturer is recommended if prolonged storage and rapid resto e oration of capacit is planned. ty Co onsumer usage batteries intended for storage for extended period of time (past t point where they are fully b d r ds the dis scharged) should be removed fro the device. In particular, man portable electr d om n ny ronic devices place a very low w-level drain req quirement on the batteries even when in the "of position. Thes micro-current loads may eir n ff" se be sustaining volat memory, pow e tile wering sense circ cuits or even maiintaining switch positions. Such loads should be eliminated whe storing batterie for protracted periods. When nickel-metal hyd e en es d dride batteries ar stored re un nder load, small quantities of elec q ctrolyte can ultim mately begin to se around the s eep seals or through the vent. Th creep leakage may result in th formation of c his e he crystals of potass sium carbonate, which detract co osmetically fro the appearan of the battery In extreme ca ses, creep leakag can result in c om nce y. ge corrosion of batt teries, or the de evice components. Although such occurrences are rare, positive m h e methods of electr rically isolating th battery, he applications su as an insulati tape over the positive termina or removal fro the device are suggested for a uch ing e al om e requiring extended storage of batte d eries.
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Contents Introduction Battery Description Discharging Characteristics Charging Characteristics Storage Device Design Considerations C Care and Handlin ng Disposal and Recycling Fa actors Affecting Life g Th way the nickel-metal hydride battery is used b consumers can have dramatic effects on the lif of the he b by n fe ba attery. This is esp pecially true of th choice of the charger to ensur adequate retu of charge while he re urn minimizing overcha arge. In fact, eff fective control of overcharge expo f osure, time and charge rate is th way of he en nhancing battery life. Expected ba attery life is two to five years.
De egree of Overcha arge
Es stablishing the ap ppropriate degree of overcharge for a battery-pow e wered application is dependent o the usage on scenario. Some ov vercharge of the battery is vital to ensure that all batteries are fully charged and b o balanced, but ma aintenance of full charge current for extended p ts periods once the battery has reac ched full charge c reduce can life e.
Ex xposure to High Temperatures T
al In general, higher temperatures ac ccelerate chemica reactions inclu uding those, whic contribute, to the aging ch pr rocess within the battery. High te emperatures are a particular conc cern in the charg ging process as c charge ac cceptance is redu uced. Sensing the transition from charge to overc e charge is also mo difficult at hig ore gher temperatures.
Ba attery Reversal
Discharge of nicke el-metal hydride batteries to the d b degree that some or all of the ba e atteries go into re everse can sh horten battery life especially if th over discharge is repeated rou e, his e utinely.
Pr rolonged Storage under Load e Lim imiting Mechanism ms
Ma aintaining a load on a battery pas the point of fu discharge may cause irreversib changes in th battery st ull y ble he ch hemistry and prom mote life-limiting phenomena suc as creep leaka g ch age. Th life of any bat he ttery is determine by a combinat ed tion of abrupt fa ailure events and gradual battery de eterioration. With the nickel-meta hydride battery abrupt failures typically mecha h al y, s, anical events res sulting in the ba attery either shor rting or going op pen-circuit, are re elatively rare and randomly distributed. Battery deterioration d ca take two forms: an ation of the negative active mater that increase battery interna resistance resu rial es al ulting in Oxida reduc ction of available voltage from the battery (mid-po voltage depression). This als affects the e oint so balance between elect trodes within the battery and ma possibly result in reduced gas e ay t recom mbination, increased pressure, an ultimately, bat nd ttery venting. Deter rioration of the po ositive active ma aterial results in lless active mater being availab for rial ble reaction with the cons sequent loss of c capacity.
Bo phenomena result in a loss of usable capacity but pose differ oth r f y, ring design issues Mid-point volta s. age de epression require that the applic es cation design be able to adapt to variations in sup pply voltage from cycle to m cy ycle. Capacity red duction simply re equires that initia battery selectio be sized to provide adequate c al on capacity at en nd-of-life for the desired number of batteries. Th actual mechan he nism that will det termine battery llife may vary dep pending on appli ication paramete and the ers ba attery characteris stics. Developme work has redu ent uced oxidation in the negative electrode reducing the n g de epression in mid-point voltage as the battery ages s.
Page 13 of 15


Device Des D sign Considerations s

Materials of Constr Ma truction
Th materials of co he onstruction for th nickel-metal h he hydride battery e external surfaces are largely comprised of s nic ckel-plated steel, and therefore, are resistant to a , attack by most e environmental ag gents. Th device can be designed with nickel-metal hydr he n ride batteries in a orientation a long as proper polarity is any as r ob bserved.
Orientation Or
Te emperature
Lik most other ba ke atteries, nickel-m metal hydride batt teries operate op ptimally in a near r-room-temperat ture en nvironment (25C however, with careful attentio to design para C); h on ameters, they re emain functional even when ex xposed to a much wider range of temperatures. h
Operating Op
Nickel-metal hydrid batteries can be used in temp de peratures from 0 to 50C with appropriate deratin of capacity ng at both the high an low ends of th range. Design charging system to return cap nd he n ms pacity in high or low temperature enviro onments without damaging the b t battery. Overcha rge requires special attention.
Ho ousehold Storage e
Co onsumer use hou usehold batteries are best stored in temperatures from 0 to 30C although storage for limited s s e pe eriods of time at higher temperat tures is feasible. (Not for bulk tra ansportation or s storage)
Sh hock and Vibratio on
Nickel-metal hydrid batteries can withstand the no de ormal shock and vibration loads e experienced by p portable ele ectronic equipme in day-to-day handling and sh ent y hipping.
Ba attery Cavity Des sign (Not for bulk transportation a storage) k and
Th primary gases emitted from th nickel-metal h he s he hydride battery w when subjected to excessive over o rcharge or ov ver-discharge is hydrogen and ox h xygen. Although v venting of gas to the outside env o vironment should not occur d du uring typical use, isolation of the battery compart tment from other electronics (esp r pecially mechanic switches cal that might generat sparks) and provision of adequ te uate ventilation t the compartm to ment are required to eliminate d co oncerns regarding possible hydrog ignition. Bat g gen ttery compartmen should not be air tight. Isolatio of the nt e on he ba attery from heat-generating comp ponents and ven tilation around th battery will al reduce therm stress on lso mal the battery and ea design of app ase propriate chargin systems. ng
Care and Handling C H

Nickel-metal hydrid batteries for consumer use an device designs should be hand de c nd s dled with care. Ge eneral Safety Precautions for Device Design P r n Nickel-metal hydrid batteries are safe; however, liike any battery, they should be t de treated with care Issues in e. de ealing with nickel l-metal hydride batteries include the following: b For de evices with tightly sealed or wate proof battery c er compartments, h hydrogen gas generation under normal or abusive conditions ne r eeds to be addre essed as a potent safety issue t prevent tial to the ac ccumulation of dangerous levels of hydrogen gas within the devic s ce. Nickel metal hydride batteries can gen b nerate high curre ents if shorted. T These currents ar sufficient re to cau burns or ignition of flammablle materials. use The active materials in the negative ellectrode can igniite on exposure t air. They elect a n to trolyte is also corros sive and capable of causing chem e mical burns. For these reasons, t battery should be the maint tained intact.
Page 14 of 15


Disposal an Recycling D nd
Co ontact your local waste disposal management aut m thority for guidelines concerning NiMH disposal. E Each co ommunity can ha their own pro ave ocedures which n need to be follow wed. A few basic Energizer guidelines are: Discha arge fully prior to disposal. o Do no incinerate. ot Do no open or punctu batteries. ot ure Obser all national, state, and local r rve s rules and regulat tions for disposal of rechargeable batteries. e Recycling Through a natio onal program, Ca all2Recycle, the Rechargeable B e Battery Recycling Corporation (RB g BRC) can help you recycle your used porta e able rechargeabl e batteries and o cell phones. RBRC can be con old ntacted at 1800-8-BATTERY or at http://ww Y ww.rbrc.org/call2r recycle
Shipping/T S Transporta ation Guid delines

Ple ease contact Ene ergizer for furthe details and rec er cent guidelines at t 1-800-383-7323 USA/CAN - http:// /www.energizer.c com/pages/enr-c contact.aspx
Page 15 of 15

NiMH Handbook and App Manual

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Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Han ndbook and Application Manual n

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

NiMH vs. Lithi um Primary

Ni iMH vs. Alkaline

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

(Fig. 3) Relative El lectrode Balances During Dischar s rge/Charge/Over rcharge

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

(Fig. 4) Picture of Resealable Vent Mechanism

Discharging Charact D teristics

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

(Fig. 13) Effect of Charge Rate on Charge Acceptan nce

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Recommended St R torage Conditions for Maximum B s Battery Performa ance

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

De egree of Overcha arge

Ex xposure to High Temperatures T

Pr rolonged Storage under Load e Lim imiting Mechanism ms

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Device Des D sign Considerations s

Sh hock and Vibratio on

Care and Handling C H

Nic ckel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

Nickel Metal Hydride

Shipping/T S Transporta ation Guid delines

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