Nickel-metal hydride batteries having high-power electrodes and low-resistance electrode connections. Transition Element Hydrides High Pressure Phases

Nickel hydride describes an alloy made by combining nickel and hydrogen. The hydrogen content in nickel hydride is up to 0.002% by weight.

Hydrogen acts as a strengthening agent, preventing dislocations in the nickel atom crystal lattice from sliding past each other. Changing the amount of hydrogen alloy produced and the form of its presence in the nickel hydride (accelerated phase) controls the qualities such as hardness, malleability and tensile strength of the resulting nickel hydride. Nickel hydride with increased hydrogen content can be made harder and stronger than nickel, but such nickel hydride is also less malleable than nickel. Loss of compliance occurs due to cracks supporting sharp points due to the suppression of elastic deformation by hydrogen and voids formed under stress due to hydride decomposition. Hydrogen embrittlement can be a problem in nickel when used in turbines at high temperatures.

In the narrow range of concentrations that make up nickel hydride, mixtures of hydrogen and nickel can only form several different structures with very different properties. Understanding such properties is important for creating high-quality nickel hydride. At room temperature, the most stable form of nickel is the face-centered cubic (FCC) α-nickel structure. It is a fairly soft metallic material that can dissolve only a very small concentration of hydrogen, no more than 0.002% by weight in, and only 0.00005% in. The solid solution phase with dissolved hydrogen, which maintains the same crystal structure as the original nickel, is called α-phase. At 25°C, 6 kbar of hydrogen pressure is needed to decay into b=nickel, but hydrogen will return from the solution if the pressure drops below 3.4 kbar.

Surface

The atoms hydrogen bond strongly to the surface of the nickel, with hydrogen molecules breaking apart to do so.

Dihydrogen separation requires sufficient energy to cross the barrier. On Ni (111) the crystal surface barrier is 46 kJ/molecular weight, while on Ni (100) the barrier is 52 kJ/molecular weight. The Ni (110) crystal plane surface has the lowest activation energy to break a hydrogen molecule at 36 kJ/molecular weight. The surface layer of hydrogen on the nickel can be released when heated. Ni (111) lost hydrogen between 320 and 380 K. Ni (100) lost hydrogen between 220 and 360 K. Ni (110) crystalline surfaces lost hydrogen between 230 and 430 K.

To decay in nickel, hydrogen must migrate from on the surface through the face of the nickel crystal. This does not occur in a vacuum, but can occur when the nickel-hydrogen coated surface is influenced by other molecules. The molecules are not supposed to be hydrogen, but they seem to work like hammers, punching hydrogen atoms through the surface of the nickel and into the subsurface. An activation energy of 100 kJ/molecular weight is required to penetrate the surface.

High pressure phases

A true crystallographically distinct nickel hydride phase can be produced with high pressure hydrogen gas at 600 MPa. Alternatively, it can be produced electrolytically. The crystalline form is lumped cubic or β-nickel facing hydride. Hydrogen to nickel atomic ratios are to one with hydrogen occupying the octahedral space. The density of β-hydride is 7.74 g/cm. It's painted grey. At a current density of 1 ampere per square decimeter at 0.5 molecular weight/liter of sulfuric acid and thiourea, the surface layer of nickel will be converted to nickel hydride. This surface is overcrowded, extols to millimeters long. The cracking direction is in the (001) plane of the original nickel crystals. The lattice constant of nickel hydride is 3.731 Å, which is 5.7% larger than that of nickel.

Nickel-metal hydride batteries and electrodes are proposed that can provide increased power output and battery recharging rates. Positive and negative electrodes can be formed by pressing powdered metal hydrides as active materials into porous metal substrates. Porous metal substrates are made from copper, copper-plated nickel, or a copper-nickel alloy. The electrode leads are directly attached to the porous metal substrate using a connection that is made by welding, brazing, or soft soldering. 4 s. and 6 salary f-ly, 3 ill., 3 tables.

Field of technology

The present invention relates to nickel-metal hydride batteries, and in particular, the present invention relates to high-power nickel-metal hydride batteries comprising high-power electrodes using highly conductive substrates and electrode terminal connections having low resistance. Prior Art

Recently, the most advanced developments in the field of automotive batteries for propulsion of vehicles have been aimed primarily at meeting the requirements that apply to pure electric vehicles. To this end, Stanford Ovshinsky and his battery development teams at Energy Conversion Denices, Inc. and Ovonic Battery Company have made great strides in nickel metal hydride battery technology. First, Ovshinsky and his teams turned to metal hydride alloys that form the negative electrode. As a result of these efforts, they were able to obtain the very high reversible hydrogen storage performance required for efficient and economical battery applications, and create batteries capable of storing energy with high density, efficient reversibility, high electrical efficiency, efficient storage of hydrogen in volume without structural changes or contamination, with great durability under cyclic operation and repeated deep discharge. The improved characteristics of these "Ovonic" alloys, as they are now called, result from the development of local chemical ordering and hence local structural ordering by introducing selected modifier elements into the parent matrix. Disordered alloys of metal hydrides have a significantly higher density of catalytically active sites and storage sites compared to single- or multiphase crystalline materials. These additional centers are responsible for improved efficiency of electrochemical charging and discharging and increase the ability to store electrical energy. The nature and number of accumulating centers can be created even independently of the catalytically active centers. More specifically, these alloys are designed to volumetrically store dissociated hydrogen atoms at binding forces within the reversibility range suitable for use in secondary battery applications. Some extremely efficient materials for electrochemical hydrogen storage have been created based on the disordered materials described above. These are Ti-V-Zr-Ni type active materials which are described in US Patent 4,551,400 (the "400 Patent") to Sapru, Hong, Fetcenko, Venkatesan, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. information. These materials reversibly form hydrides in order to accumulate hydrogen. All materials used in the '400 Patent use a common Ti-V-Ni composition that contains at least Ti, V and Ni, and can be modified with Cr, Zr and Al. The materials in the '400 Patent are multiphase materials which may contain, but are not limited to, one or more phases with crystal structures of the C 14 and C 15 type. Other Ti-V-Zr-Ni alloys are also used for reversible hydrogen storage negative electrodes. One family of such materials is described in U.S. Patent 4,728,586 (the "'586 Patent") by Venketsen, Reichman and Fetchenko, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The '586 Patent describes a special subclass of these Ti-V-Ni-Zr alloys, containing Ti, V, Zr, Ni and a fifth component, Cr. The '586 Patent mentions the possibility of using additives and modifiers other than the alloy components, Ti, V, Zr, Ni and Cr, and generally discusses specific additives and modifiers, the amounts and interactions of these modifiers, and the specific benefits that can be expected from them. In contrast to the "Ovonic" alloys described above, ordered alloys were generally considered to be "ordered" materials that had different chemical properties, microstructure and electrochemical characteristics. The performance characteristics of previously created ordered materials were poor, but in the early 1980s, as the degree increased. modifications (that is, as the number and quantity of elemental modifiers increase), their performance characteristics begin to improve significantly. This is due to the fact that their electrical and chemical properties change depending on how much disorder is introduced by the modifiers, from the special one. class of "ordered" materials to modern multi-component, multi-phase "disordered" alloys, shown in the following patents: (i) US Patent 3874928; (ii) US Patent 4214043; (iii) US Patent 4107395; (iv) US Patent 4107405; (v) US Patent 4112199; (vi) US Patent 4125688; (vii) US Patent 4214043; (viii) US Patent 4216274; (ix) US Patent 4487817; (x) US Patent 4605603; (xii) US Patent 4,696,873 and (xiii) US Patent 4,699,856. (These sources of information are discussed in detail in US Patent 5,096,667, and this discussion is specifically incorporated by reference). It was simply stated that in all metal-hydride alloys, as the degree of modification increases, the role of the initially ordered base alloy is a role of diminishing importance compared to the properties and disorder inherent in the particular modifiers. In addition, analysis of multi-component alloys currently available on the market and created by various manufacturers indicates that these alloys are modified in accordance with the guideline established for Ovonic alloy systems. Thus, as stated above, all highly modified alloys are disordered materials, characterized by the presence of many components and many phases, i.e. Ovonic alloys. Ovshinsky and his teams then turned their attention to the positive electrode of batteries. Today, positive electrodes are typically nickel paste electrodes, which consist of nickel hydroxide particles in contact with an electrically conductive grid or substrate, preferably having a high surface area. There are several variations of such electrodes, including so-called bonded nickel electrodes, which use graphite as a microconductor, and also including so-called foam-metal electrodes, which use high-porosity nickel foam as a base filled with spherical nickel hydroxide particles and cobalt additives , increasing conductivity. Pasted foam-to-metal electrodes have already begun to penetrate the consumer market due to their low cost and higher energy density compared to sintered nickel electrodes. It is generally believed that the reaction occurring at the electrode of a nickel battery is a single-electrode process involving the oxidation of nickel hydroxide to nickel oxyhydroxide upon charging and then the discharge of nickel oxyhydroxide to nickel hydroxide, as shown below in Equation 2. Some recent findings time evidence indicates that the redox reaction of nickel hydroxide involves tetravalent nickel. This is not a new concept. In fact, the existence of tetravalent nickel was first suggested by Thomas Edison in some of his early battery patents. However, the full use of tetravalent nickel has never been explored. In practice, the ability of an electrode to transfer more than one electron is not usually observed, which corresponds to the theoretical ability to transfer one electron. One reason for this is the underutilization of the active material due to the electronic isolation of the oxidized material. Since the reduced nickel hydroxide material has a high electrical resistance, reduction of the nickel hydroxide near the current collector results in a less conductive surface, which interferes with the subsequent reduction of the oxidized active material that is further away. Ovshinsky and his groups developed positive electrode materials that demonstrated reliable transfer of more than one electron per nickel atom. Such materials are disclosed in US Patent Nos. 5,344,728 and 5,348,822 (which describe stabilized disordered positive electrode materials) and US Patent 5,569,563, issued October 29, 1996, and US Patent 5,567,549, issued October 22, 1996. As a result of this research in the field of active negative electrode materials and positive electrodes Ovonic nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery has reached an advanced stage of development for EVs (electric vehicles). Ovshinsky's groups were able to create batteries for electric vehicles that are capable of driving an electric vehicle more than 350 miles on a single charge (Tour d'Sol 1996). The Ovonic Ni-GM battery demonstrated excellent energy density (up to approximately 90 W/kg ), durability during cyclic operation (over 1000 cycles at 80% GR (depth of discharge)), resistance to operation in violation of standards and the ability to quickly recharge (up to 60% in 15 minutes). In addition, the Ovonic battery demonstrated a higher power density, than batteries created using any other technology, when testing and evaluating the characteristics for their use as a source of stored energy for EVs (electric vehicles). Although Ovshinsky and his groups have made great strides in creating batteries for pure electric vehicles. funds, the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), a public auto company founded in the United States in 1996, has suggested that hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) could lead the way in achieving the goal of triple savings over the next decade automobile fuel. To achieve this goal, lightweight, compact, powerful batteries will be required. Using a hybrid drive system offers significant benefits in terms of fuel economy and ultra-low emissions. Fuel engines achieve maximum efficiency when they operate at a constant number of revolutions per minute (RPM). Therefore, peak fuel efficiency can be achieved by using a constant rpm fuel engine to power a powerful energy storage system that provides peak power for acceleration and also recaptures kinetic energy when using regenerative braking. Likewise, based on the ability to use a small engine operating at maximum efficiency and coupled to an energy storage system to provide burst power, the best design is proposed to minimize emissions associated with the use of a fuel engine. Thus, the key technology for HET is an energy storage system capable of providing very high pulse power and receiving high regenerative braking currents with very high efficiency. The duty cycle of a device that generates pulsed power requires exceptional durability when cycling at a low depth of discharge. It is important to understand that such an energy storage system has different requirements compared to systems for pure electric vehicles. Range is a critical factor for practical EVs, making energy density a critical evaluation parameter. Power and durability in cycling are definitely important, but for ET they become secondary to energy density. Conversely, in systems with pulsed power, power density is of overwhelming importance for the GET. Exceptional low-depth-of-discharge cycling durability is also more critical than the more conventional 80% GR cycling durability required in ET systems. Energy density is important to reduce battery weight and volume, but due to the smaller size of the battery, this characteristic is less critical than power density. The ability to quickly recharge is also an essential factor for ensuring effective regenerative braking, and charging and discharging efficiency is a critical factor for keeping the battery charged in the absence of external charging. It can be expected that due to such fundamental differences in the requirements for EV systems and those for HET systems, batteries that are currently optimized for use in EV systems will not be suitable for HET systems unless improved power density. Although the demonstrated performance of Ovonic EV batteries has been impressive, these cell and battery designs have been optimized for pure EV use and therefore do not meet the specific requirements for EV applications. Thus, there is a need for high power batteries that have the peak power performance required by HETs, but also have the already demonstrated performance characteristics of Ovonic Ni-GM batteries and proven industrial fabricability. Brief description of the invention

The basis of the present invention is the creation of nickel-metal hydride batteries and electrodes for them, which are capable of generating increased power output and having increased recharge rates. This and other problems are achieved by using a nickel-metal hydride battery including at least one negative electrode having a porous metal base and an electrode terminal attached to the electrode, the improvement being that the porous metal base is formed from copper, nickel, coated with copper, or a copper-nickel alloy, and the electrode terminal is directly attached to the porous metal substrate using a low electrical resistance connection. Low electrical resistance connections are made by welding, brazing, or fusible soldering. This and other objects are met by a negative electrode for use in a nickel-metal hydride battery, wherein the negative electrode includes a porous metal base and the negative electrode is attached to an electrode terminal, and the improvement is that the porous metal base is made of copper , copper-plated nickel, or a copper-nickel alloy, and the electrode terminal is directly attached to the substrate using a low electrical resistance connection. Brief description of drawings

Fig. 1 shows an electrode for a Ni-GM prismatic battery attached to an electrode terminal;

Fig. 2 represents the areas of corrosion, immunity and passivity of copper at 25 o C;

Figure 3 presents the power density (W/kg) for C-cell type Ni-GM batteries as a function of the possible depth of discharge as a percentage. Detailed Description of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to increase the power output of a rechargeable nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery. Typically, the power output can be increased by reducing the internal resistance of the battery. Reducing internal resistance reduces losses associated with power dissipation in the battery, resulting in increased power that can be used to drive external loads. The internal resistance of a nickel-metal hydride battery can be reduced by increasing the conductivity of the battery cells as well as the connections between the cells. Typically, a Ni-GM battery includes at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode. An electrode terminal may be attached to each negative and positive electrode to provide electrical connection of the electrode to the corresponding output terminal of the Ni-GM battery (ie, the negative electrode to the negative output terminal and the positive electrode to the positive output terminal). In fig. 1 shows a variant of the electrode 1 attached to the electrode terminal 2 for a prismatic Ni-GM battery. Electrode 1 shown in FIG. 1 represents either the negative or positive electrode of a Ni-GM battery. Generally, the electrode terminal 2 may be made of any electrically conductive material that is resistant to corrosion under the battery environment. Preferably, the electrode terminal is made of nickel or nickel-plated copper. Ni-GM batteries use a negative electrode containing an active material that is capable of reversible electrochemical storage of hydrogen. The negative electrode also includes a porous metal substrate in which the active material is located. The negative electrode can be made by pressing the active material (in powder form) into a porous metal substrate. To increase the adhesion of the powdered active material to the porous metal substrate, the negative electrode may also be sintered. When electrical voltage is applied to the Ni-GM battery, the active material of the negative electrode is charged due to the electrochemical absorption of hydrogen and the electrochemical formation of hydroxyl ions. The following electrochemical reaction occurs at the negative electrode:

Reactions occurring at the negative electrode are reversible. During discharge, the accumulated hydrogen is released to form a water molecule and an electron is released. The negative electrode active material is a hydrogen storage material. The hydrogen storage material may be selected from Ti-V-Zr-Ni active materials such as those described in US Pat. No. 4,551,400 (the "'400 Patent"), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. As discussed above, materials used in the '400 Patent use a general Ti-V-Ni composition in which at least Ti, V and Ni are present, with at least one or more of the elements Cr, Zr and Al. The materials from the '400 Patent are multiphase materials that may contain, but are not limited to, one or more phases with crystal structures of the C 14 and C 15 types. There are other Ti-V-Zr-Ni alloys that can also be used for the negative electrode material , hydrogen storage. One family of such materials is described in US Pat. No. 4,728,586 (the "'586 Patent"), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The '586 Patent describes a special subclass of these Ti-V-Ni-Zr alloys, containing Ti, V, Zr, Ni and a fifth component Cr. The '586 Patent mentions the possibility of using additives and modifiers in addition to the alloy components, Ti, V, Zr, Ni and Cr, and discusses generally specific additives and modifiers, the amounts and interactions of these modifiers, and the specific benefits that can be expected from them. In addition to the materials described above, hydrogen storage materials for the negative electrode of a Ni-GM battery may also be selected from disordered metal hydride alloys, which are described in detail in U.S. Patent 5,277,999 (the "'999 Patent") by Ovshinsky and Fetchenko, the disclosure of which is incorporated as reference source The conductivity of the negative electrode can be increased by increasing the conductivity of the porous metal base of the negative electrode. As discussed above, the negative electrode can be formed by pressing a hydrogen storage active material into the porous metal base. but not limited to, mesh, grid, mat, foil, foam, plate, and porous metal. Preferably, the porous metal support used for the negative electrode is mesh, grid, porous metal. The present invention describes a negative electrode for a Ni-GM battery comprising a porous metal substrate that is made of copper, copper-plated nickel, or a copper-nickel alloy. As used herein, “copper” means pure copper or a copper alloy, and “nickel” means pure nickel or a nickel alloy. Fig. 2 illustrates the areas of corrosion, immunity and passivity of copper at 25°C. The horizontal axis represents the pH of the electrolyte and the vertical axis represents the electrical potential of the copper-containing material. The electrical potential is shown relative to the hydrogen standard (vertical axis labeled "H") and also relative to the Hg/HgO standard (vertical axis labeled "Hg/HgO"). In this description, all voltage values ​​are given relative to the Hg/HgO standard, unless otherwise stated. The use of copper in cells with an alkaline electrolyte was previously ruled out due to the solubility of copper in the KOH electrolyte. Figure 2 illustrates that under certain operating conditions (ie pH and voltage) copper will be susceptible to corrosion. Figure 2 also illustrates that at appropriate pH and voltage values, copper is immune to corrosion. Under appropriate operating conditions, the copper substrate in contact with the metal hydride active material is cathodically protected over the entire operating range of the Ni-GM cell. During normal cycling of charging and discharging a Ni-GM battery, the negative metal hydride electrode is at an electrical potential of approximately -0.85 V and the pH at the negative metal hydride electrode is approximately 14. This operating point is shown as operating point A in FIG. 2. . As can be seen in FIG. 2, the operating voltage is -0.85 lower (i.e., more negative) than the copper dissolution voltage by approximately -0.4 V (for a pH of approximately 14). Therefore, during the normal charging and discharging cycle of a Ni-GM battery, the metal hydride negative electrode using a copper base is immune to corrosion. When a Ni-GM battery is discharged deeper than normal, the positive electrode becomes a hydrogen-emitting electrode, causing nickel reduction to be replaced by electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions. Since the Ni-GM battery is made with a stoichiometric excess of metal hydride as the active material, the potential of the negative electrode is kept close to -0.8 V. In addition, hydrogen released at the positive electrode is oxidized at the negative electrode with the metal hydride, further stabilizing the negative potential electrode at approximately -0.8 V. At low currents, overdischarge can occur indefinitely without discharging the metal hydride negative electrode required to increase the negative electrode potential to the value required to dissolve the copper. At high currents, hydrogen is released faster than it recombines, and there is a net discharge of the negative electrode with the metal hydride. However, the discharge is significantly less than that required to raise the potential of the negative electrode to the level at which copper dissolution occurs. Even when the negative and positive electrodes are short-circuited, the stoichiometric excess of metal hydride ensures that the negative metal hydride electrode remains at a potential of approximately -0.8 V and is still protected from copper dissolution. Therefore, the copper in the negative metal hydride electrode is protected under all conditions except those where the negative metal hydride electrode would inevitably be irreversibly degraded due to its own oxidation. As shown, at the operating parameters of the metal hydride negative electrode, the copper base material is protected from corrosion. However, to increase the reliability of the battery and further protect the negative electrode from the aggressive chemical environment in the battery, a porous metal base made of the above materials, copper, copper-plated nickel, or a copper-nickel alloy, can be additionally coated with a material that is electrically conductive and, in addition In addition, it is resistant to corrosion in the battery environment. An example of a material that can be used to coat a porous metal substrate is, but is not limited to, nickel. Using copper to form the porous metal base of the negative electrode has several important advantages. Copper is an excellent electrical conductor. Therefore, its use as a base material reduces the resistance of the negative electrode. This reduces the amount of battery power that is lost due to internal power dissipation, thereby increasing the power output of the Ni-GM battery. In addition, copper is a soft metal. Gentleness is very important due to the expansion and contraction of the negative electrodes during the alternating charging and discharging of a Ni-GM battery. Increased ductility of the base helps prevent electrode destruction as a result of expansion and contraction, which leads to increased battery reliability. The increased ductility of the base also allows the base to more securely retain the active hydrogen storage material that is pressed onto the surface of the base. This reduces the need to heat treat the negative electrodes after the active material has been pressed onto the substrate, thereby simplifying the electrode manufacturing process and reducing its cost. The conductivity of the negative electrode can also be increased by increasing the conductivity of the negative electrode active material. The conductivity of the active material can be increased by incorporating copper into the metal hydride material. This can be done in many different ways. One method is to mix copper powder with a metal hydride while preparing the active material. Another method is to enclose metal hydride particles in a copper shell using an electroless copper plating process. In addition to increasing conductivity, adding copper will lower the heat treatment temperature where the active material is sintered into the copper base and reduce the electrical resistance between each positive electrode and its corresponding electrode terminal. The conductivity of the negative electrode can also be increased by coating the negative electrode with copper after the metal hydride active material has been pressed (and possibly sintered) onto the surface of the substrate. Copper plating can be done using a template or without a template. In addition to increasing the conductivity of the electrode, the copper coating serves as an additional means of ensuring that the active metal remains “glued” to the substrate. The negative electrode described herein can be used in all Ni-GM batteries, including, but not limited to, prismatic Ni-GM batteries and cylindrical, "jelly roll" Ni-GM batteries. As discussed above, an electrode terminal may be attached to each negative electrode and each positive electrode of a Ni-GM battery to provide an electrical connection between each electrode and a corresponding output terminal of the battery. Another way to increase the specific power output of a Ni-GM battery is to reduce the electrical resistance of the connection between each negative electrode and the corresponding electrode terminal. Each electrode terminal may be attached directly to the porous metal base of the corresponding electrode so as to form a connection having low electrical resistance. Such a connection is referred to herein as a “low electrical resistance connection.” A low electrical resistance connection is defined herein as a connection between two or more materials (such as metals) in which two or more materials are bonded to each other through a process of fusion or wetting. Examples in which two metals are joined by fusion are welding and brazing. An example in which two metals are joined through a wetting process is low-melting solder. Therefore, a low resistance connection can be made using techniques that include, but are not limited to, welding, brazing or fusible soldering. The welding technology used includes, but is not limited to, resistance welding, laser welding, electron beam welding and ultrasonic welding. As discussed above, the porous metal base of the negative electrode can be made of mesh, grid, mat, foil, foam, plate or porous metal. Preferably, the porous metal substrate of the negative electrode is a mesh, lattice or porous metal. To increase the power density of a Ni-GM battery, the electrode lead can be attached to a mesh, lattice, or porous metal using a low electrical resistance connection. Preferably, the electrode terminal may be welded, brazed, or fusible soldered to a mesh, grid, or porous metal. More preferably, the electrical terminal can be welded to a mesh, grid or porous metal. As already discussed, welding technology includes, but is not limited to, resistance welding, laser welding, electron beam welding, and ultrasonic welding. The low electrical resistance connection disclosed herein can be applied to both the positive and negative electrodes of a Ni-GM battery. In addition, the low electrical resistance connection can be used in all Ni-GM batteries, including, but not limited to, prismatic Ni-GM batteries and cylindrical Ni-GM batteries. The power output of nickel-metal hydride batteries can also be increased by increasing the conductivity of the positive electrodes of the batteries. As with negative electrodes, this is done by appropriately selecting the materials from which the electrode elements are made. The positive electrode of a nickel metal hydride battery can be made by pressing powdered positive electrode active material into a porous metal substrate. Each positive electrode may have a current receiving terminal attached to at least one point on the electrode. The current receiving terminal can be welded to the positive electrode. Welding techniques include, but are not limited to, resistance welding, laser welding, electron beam welding, or ultrasonic welding. Ni-GM batteries typically use a positive electrode that has nickel hydroxide as the active material. The following reactions occur at the positive electrode:

The nickel hydroxide positive electrode is described in US Patents 5,344,728 and 5,348,822 (which describe stabilized disordered positive electrode materials) and US Patent 5,569,563 and US Patent 5,567,549, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The conductivity of the positive electrode can be increased by increasing the conductivity of the porous metal base of the electrode. The porous metal substrate of the positive electrode includes, but is not limited to, mesh, grid, foil, foam, mat, plate, porous metal. Preferably the porous metal base is a foam material. The positive electrode disclosed herein comprises a porous metal substrate that is made of copper, copper-plated nickel, or a copper-nickel alloy. Making the base from one or more of these materials increases the conductivity of the positive electrodes of the battery. This reduces the amount of power wasted due to internal power dissipation and consequently increases the power output of the Ni-GM battery. To protect the porous metal substrate of the positive electrode from the corrosive environment in the battery, the porous metal substrate may be coated with a material that is electrically conductive and also resistant to corrosion in the battery environment. Preferably, the porous metal substrate may be plated with nickel. The positive electrodes disclosed herein can be used for all Ni-GM batteries, including, but not limited to, prismatic Ni-GM batteries and cylindrical, "jelly roll" Ni-GM batteries. Another aspect of the present invention is a nickel metal hydride battery comprising at least one negative electrode of the type disclosed herein. Nickel metal hydride batteries include, but are not limited to, prismatic Ni-GM batteries and cylindrical, jelly roll, Ni-GM batteries (ie AA cells, C cells, etc.). Example 1

Table 1 shows the power at 50 and 80% DOD (depth of discharge) for prismatic Ni-GM batteries having positive and negative electrodes containing the base materials disclosed herein. In example 1, the dimensions of the positive electrodes are 5.5 inches high, 3.5 inches wide, and. 0315 inches deep. The negative electrodes measure 5.25 inches high, 3.38 inches wide, and .0145 inches deep. In row 1 of Table 1, the positive electrode base and the negative electrode base are formed from nickel (the positive electrode base is formed from nickel foam, and the negative electrode base is formed from nickel metal mesh). In this case, the specific power at 50% GR (discharge depth) is approximately 214 W/kg, and the specific power at 80% GR is approximately 176 W/kg. In row 2 of Table 1, the base of the positive electrodes is formed from nickel foam, but the base of the negative electrodes is now formed from copper metal mesh. In this case, the specific power at 50% GR is approximately 338 W/kg, and the specific power at 80% GR is approximately 270 W/kg. The specific power output of a Ni-GM battery can also be increased by adjusting the height, width and depth of the positive and negative electrodes. The height to width ratio of the electrodes (ie, height divided by width) is defined herein as the "aspect ratio" of the electrodes. The aspect ratio of the positive and negative electrodes can be adjusted to increase power density. Moreover, the electrodes can be made thinner in order to introduce multiple electrode pairs into each battery, thereby reducing the current density flowing through each electrode. Example 2

Table 2 shows the power density of a prismatic Ni-GM battery using a nickel foam positive electrode base and a copper metal mesh base for negative electrodes. In addition, the aspect ratio of the positive and negative electrodes was changed compared to Example 1 to increase the specific power output of the battery. In Example 2, the aspect ratio (height divided by width) of the positive and negative electrodes was changed to increase the power density of the battery. The positive electrodes measured approximately 3.1 inches high by 3.5 inches wide, and the negative electrodes measured approximately 2.9 inches high by 3.3 inches wide. The aspect ratios of the positive and negative electrodes from Example 2 are approximately .89 and approximately .88, respectively. In contrast, the aspect ratios of the positive and negative electrodes from Example 1 are about 1.57 and about 1.55, respectively. The aspect ratios in example 2 are closer to "one" than in example 1. In example 2, the positive and negative electrodes were also made thinner to introduce multiple pairs of electrodes into the battery, thereby reducing the current density flowing through each electrode. In Example 2, the positive electrodes are approximately 0.028 inches deep and the negative electrodes are approximately 0.013 inches deep. Ni-GM batteries using positive and negative electrodes having aspect ratios similar to those of Example 2, but using nickel for both positive and negative electrodes, have a power density of approximately 300 W/kg at 50% GR and approximately 225 W/kg kg at 80% GR. Example 3

As mentioned above, the base materials disclosed herein can also be used for the negative and positive electrodes of cylindrical, jelly roll, Ni-GM batteries. Specifically, in Table 3, the specific output power of a C-cell type Ni-GM battery increases when copper is used as the base material for the negative electrode. Each row in Table 3 shows the power density at 20% GR and 80% GR. For each line, the positive electrode base consists of nickel foam. In lines 1 and 2, the current-receiving terminal is attached to the negative electrode. In line 1, the negative electrode base is made of porous nickel metal, and in line 2, the negative electrode base is made of porous copper metal. Table 3 shows that using copper as the base material increases the power density of the battery. In lines 3 and 4, the current-receiving terminal is welded to the negative electrode. In line 3, the negative electrode base is made of porous nickel metal, and in line 4, the negative electrode base is made of porous copper metal. Again, Table 3 shows that using copper as the base material increases the power density of the battery. In general, the data presented in Table 3 shows that for a Ni-GM C-cell type battery, using copper as the base material for the negative electrodes increases the power density output of the battery, regardless of whether the electrode leads are bonded to the electrodes or directly welded to the base. . The data also shows that in general the battery power density increases if the electrode leads are directly welded to the electrodes rather than bonded to the electrodes. The data presented in Table 3 is shown graphically in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the power density output of C-cell type Ni-GM batteries (four cases presented in Example 3) as a function of the depth of discharge in % (data shown corresponds to points 0, 20, 50 and 80% GR). Although the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments and methods for carrying it out, it is understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to these preferred embodiments and methods for carrying it out. On the contrary, the invention is intended to include all alternatives, modifications and equivalent embodiments that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

CLAIM

Let's start with the composition of the injection connections. Let us consider this issue using the example of hydrides of transition elements. If, during the formation of the interstitial phase, hydrogen atoms fall only into tetrahedral voids in the metal lattice, then the limiting hydrogen content in such a compound should correspond to the formula MeH 2 (where Me is a metal whose atoms form a close packing). After all, there are twice as many tetrahedral voids in the lattice as there are atoms forming a close packing. If hydrogen atoms fall only into octahedral voids, then from the same considerations it follows that the limiting hydrogen content should correspond to the formula MeH - there are as many octahedral voids in a dense packing as there are atoms composing this packing.

Typically, when transition metal compounds form with hydrogen, either octahedral or tetrahedral voids are filled. Depending on the nature of the starting materials and the process conditions, complete or only partial filling may occur. In the latter case, the composition of the compound will deviate from the integer formula and will be undefined, for example MeH 1-x; MeN 2-x. Implementation connections, therefore, by their very nature must be compounds of variable composition, i.e., those whose composition, depending on the conditions of their preparation and further processing, varies within fairly wide limits.

Let us consider some typical properties of interstitial phases using the example of compounds with hydrogen. To do this, compare the hydrides of some transition elements with the hydride of an alkali metal (lithium).

When lithium combines with hydrogen, a substance of a certain composition LiH is formed. In terms of physical properties, it has nothing in common with the parent metal. Lithium conducts electric current, has a metallic luster, ductility, in a word, the whole complex of metallic properties. Lithium hydride does not have any of these properties. This is a colorless salt-like substance, not at all similar to metal. Like other alkali and alkaline earth metal hydrides, lithium hydride is a typical ionic compound, where the lithium atom has a significant positive charge and the hydrogen atom has an equally negative charge. The density of lithium is 0.53 g/cm 3, and the density of lithium hydride is 0.82 g/cm 3 - occurs noticeable increase in density. (The same is observed during the formation of hydrides of other alkali and alkaline earth metals).

Palladium (a typical transition element) undergoes completely different transformations when interacting with hydrogen. A well-known demonstration experiment is in which a palladium plate, coated on one side with a gas-proof varnish, bends when blown with hydrogen.

This occurs because the density of the resulting palladium hydride decreases. This phenomenon can only occur if the distance between the metal atoms increases. The introduced hydrogen atoms “push apart” the metal atoms, changing the characteristics of the crystal lattice.

The increase in the volume of metals upon absorption of hydrogen with the formation of interstitial phases occurs so noticeably that the density of the metal saturated with hydrogen turns out to be significantly lower than the density of the original metal (see Table 2)

Strictly speaking, the lattice formed by metal atoms usually does not remain completely unchanged after the absorption of hydrogen by this metal. No matter how small the hydrogen atom is, it still introduces distortions into the lattice. In this case, there is usually not just a proportional increase in the distances between atoms in the lattice, but also some change in its symmetry. Therefore, it is often said only for simplicity that hydrogen atoms are introduced into voids in a dense packing - the dense packing of metal atoms itself is still disrupted when hydrogen atoms are introduced.

Table 2 Change in the density of some transition metals during the formation of interstitial phases with hydrogen.

This is far from the only difference between hydrides of typical and transition metals.

During the formation of interstitial hydrides, such typical properties of metals as metallic luster and electrical conductivity are preserved. True, they may be less pronounced than in the parent metals. Thus, interstitial hydrides are much more similar to the parent metals than alkali and alkaline earth metal hydrides.

Such a property as plasticity changes significantly more - metals saturated with hydrogen become brittle, often the original metals are difficult to turn into powder, but with hydrides of the same metals this is much easier.

Finally, we should note a very important property of interstitial hydrides. When transition metals interact with hydrogen, the metal sample is not destroyed. Moreover, it retains its original shape. The same happens during the reverse process - the decomposition of hydrides (loss of hydrogen).

A natural question may arise: can the process of formation of interstitial phases be considered chemical in the full sense of the word? Is it possible that aqueous solutions are formed - a process that has much more “chemistry”?

To answer, we need to use chemical thermodynamics.

It is known that the formation of chemical compounds from simple substances (as well as other chemical processes) is usually accompanied by noticeable energy effects. Most often, these effects are exothermic, and the more energy released, the stronger the resulting connection.

Thermal effects are one of the most important signs that not just a mixing of substances is occurring, but a chemical reaction is taking place. Once the internal energy of the system changes, therefore, new connections are formed.

Let us now see what energetic effects are caused by the formation of interstitial hydrides. It turns out that the spread here is quite large. In metals of side subgroups III, IV and V of groups of the periodic system, the formation of interstitial hydrides is accompanied by a significant release of heat, on the order of 30-50 kcal/mol (when lithium hydride is formed from simple substances, about 21 kcal/mol is released). It can be recognized that interstitial hydrides, at least of the elements of the indicated subgroups, are quite “real” chemical compounds. It should be noted, however, that for many metals located in the second half of each transition series (for example, iron, nickel, copper), the energetic effects of the formation of interstitial hydrides are small. For example, for a hydride of the approximate composition FeH 2, the thermal effect is only 0.2 kcal/mol .

The small value of the DN of such hydrides dictates the methods for their preparation - not the direct interaction of the metal with hydrogen, but an indirect way.

Let's look at a few examples.

Nickel hydride, the composition of which is close to NiH 2, can be obtained by treating an ethereal solution of nickel chloride with phenylmagnesium bromide in a stream of H 2:

The nickel hydride obtained as a result of this reaction is a black powder that easily gives off hydrogen (which is generally characteristic of interstitial hydrides); when slightly heated in an oxygen atmosphere, it ignites.

In the same way, hydrides of nickel's neighbors on the periodic table - cobalt and iron - can be obtained.

Another method for preparing transition hydrides is based on the use of lithium alanate LiAlH. When the chloride of the corresponding metal reacts with LiAlH 4 in an ethereal solution, an alanate of this metal is formed:

MeCl 2 +LiAlH 4 >Me(AlH 4 ) 2 +LiCl(5)

For many metals, alanates are fragile compounds that decompose when the temperature increases.

Me(AlH 4 ) 2 >MeH 2 + Al + H 2 (6)

But for some metals of secondary subgroups, a different process occurs:

Me(AlH 4 ) 2 >MeH 2 +AlH 3 (7)

In this case, instead of a mixture of hydrogen and aluminum, aluminum hydride is formed, which is soluble in ether. By washing the reaction product with ether, a pure transition metal hydride can be obtained as a residue. In this way, for example, low-stable hydrides of zinc, cadmium and mercury were obtained.

It can be concluded that the preparation of hydrides of elements of side subgroups is based on typical methods of inorganic synthesis: exchange reactions, thermal decomposition of fragile compounds under certain conditions, etc. By these methods, hydrides of almost all transition elements, even very fragile ones, were obtained. The composition of the resulting hydrides is usually close to stoichiometric: FeH 2, CoH 2, NiH 2 ZnH 2, CdH 2, HgH 2. Apparently, the achievement of stoichiometry is facilitated by the low temperature at which these reactions are carried out.

Let us now examine the influence of reaction conditions on the composition of the resulting interstitial hydrides. It follows directly from Le Chatelier's principle. The higher the hydrogen pressure and the lower the temperature, the closer the saturation of the metal with hydrogen is to the limiting value. In other words, each certain temperature and each pressure value corresponds to a certain degree of saturation of the metal with hydrogen. Conversely, each temperature corresponds to a certain equilibrium pressure of hydrogen above the metal surface.

This is where one of the possible applications of transition element hydrides comes from. Let's say that in some system you need to create a strictly defined hydrogen pressure. A metal saturated with hydrogen is placed in such a system (titanium was used in the experiments). By heating it to a certain temperature, you can create the required pressure of hydrogen gas in the system.

Any class of compounds is interesting for its chemical nature, the composition and structure of the particles it consists of, and the nature of the connection between these particles. Chemists devote their theoretical and experimental work to this. They are no exception from the implementation phase.

There is no definitive point of view on the nature of interstitial hydrides yet. Often different, sometimes opposing points of view successfully explain the same facts. In other words, there are no unified theoretical views on the structure and properties of interstitial compounds yet.

Let's consider some experimental facts.

The process of hydrogen absorption by palladium has been studied in most detail. It is characteristic of this transition metal that the concentration of hydrogen dissolved in it at a constant temperature is proportional to the square root of the external hydrogen pressure.

At any temperature, hydrogen, to some extent, dissociates into free atoms, so there is an equilibrium:

The constant for this equilibrium is:

Where R N -- pressure (concentration) of atomic hydrogen.

From here (11)

It can be seen that the concentration of atomic hydrogen in the gas phase is proportional to the square root of the pressure (concentration) of molecular hydrogen. But the concentration of hydrogen in palladium is also proportional to the same value.

From this we can conclude that palladium dissolves hydrogen in the form of individual atoms.

What, then, is the nature of the bond in palladium hydride? To answer this question, a number of experiments were carried out.

It was discovered that when an electric current is passed through hydrogen-saturated palladium, the non-metal atoms move towards the cathode. It must be assumed that the hydrogen found in the metal lattice is completely or partially dissociated into protons (i.e., H + ions) and electrons.

Data on the electronic structure of palladium hydride were obtained by studying the magnetic properties. The change in the magnetic properties of the hydride depending on the amount of hydrogen entering the structure was studied. Based on the study of the magnetic properties of a substance, it is possible to estimate the number of unpaired electrons contained in the particles of which this substance consists. On average, there are approximately 0.55 unpaired electrons per palladium atom. When palladium is saturated with hydrogen, the number of unpaired electrons decreases. And in a substance with the composition PdH 0.55, there are practically no unpaired electrons.

Based on these data, we can conclude: unpaired electrons of palladium form pairs with unpaired electrons of hydrogen atoms.

However, the properties of interstitial hydrides (in particular, electrical and magnetic) can also be explained on the basis of the opposite hypothesis. It can be assumed that interstitial hydrides contain H - ions, which are formed due to the capture by hydrogen atoms of part of the half-free electrons present in the metal lattice. In this case, the electrons obtained from the metal would also form pairs with the electrons present on the hydrogen atoms. This approach also explains the results of magnetic measurements.

It is possible that both types of ions coexist in interstitial hydrides. The electrons of the metal and the electrons of hydrogen form pairs and hence a covalent bond occurs. These electron pairs can be shifted to one degree or another towards one of the atoms - metal or hydrogen.

The electron pair is biased more toward the metal atom in hydrides of those metals that are less likely to donate electrons, such as palladium or nickel hydrides. But in scandium and uranium hydrides, apparently, the electron pair is strongly shifted towards hydrogen. Therefore, hydrides of lanthanides and actinides are in many ways similar to hydrides of alkaline earth metals. By the way, lanthanum hydride reaches the composition LaH 3. For typical interstitial hydrides, the hydrogen content, as we now know, is not higher than that corresponding to the formulas MeH or MeH 2.

Another experimental fact shows the difficulties of determining the nature of the bond in interstitial hydrides.

If hydrogen is removed from palladium hydride at low temperatures, it is possible to retain the distorted (“expanded”) lattice that palladium saturated with hydrogen had. The magnetic properties (note this), electrical conductivity and hardness of such palladium are generally the same as those of the hydride.

It follows that during the formation of interstitial hydrides, the change in properties is caused not only by the presence of hydrogen in them, but also simply by a change in interatomic distances in the lattice.

We have to admit that the question of the nature of interstitial hydrides is very complex and far from being finally resolved.

Humanity has always been famous for the fact that, even without fully knowing all aspects of any phenomena, it was able to practically use these phenomena. This fully applies to interstitial hydrides.

The formation of interstitial hydrides in some cases is deliberately used in practice, in other cases, on the contrary, they try to avoid it.

Interstitial hydrides give off hydrogen relatively easily when heated and sometimes at low temperatures. Where can I use this property? Of course, in redox processes. Moreover, the hydrogen released by interstitial hydrides is in an atomic state at some stage of the process. This is probably related to the chemical activity of interstitial hydrides.

It is known that group eight metals (iron, nickel, platinum) are good catalysts for reactions in which hydrogen attaches to any substance. Perhaps their catalytic role is associated with the intermediate formation of unstable interstitial hydrides. By further dissociating, the hydrides provide the reaction system with a certain amount of atomic hydrogen.

For example, finely dispersed platinum (the so-called platinum black) catalyzes the oxidation of hydrogen with oxygen - in its presence, this reaction proceeds at a noticeable speed even at room temperature. This property of platinum black is used in fuel cells - devices where chemical reactions are used to directly produce electrical energy, bypassing the production of thermal energy (combustion stage). The so-called hydrogen electrode, an important tool for studying the electrochemical properties of solutions, is based on this same property of finely dispersed platinum.

The formation of interstitial hydrides is used to obtain highly pure metal powders. Uranium metal and other actinides, as well as very pure titanium and vanadium, are ductile, and therefore it is practically impossible to prepare powders from them by grinding the metal. To deprive the metal of its ductility, it is saturated with hydrogen (this operation is called “embrittlement” of the metal). The resulting hydride is easily ground into powder. Some metals, even when saturated with hydrogen, themselves turn into a powder state (uranium). Then, when heated in a vacuum, the hydrogen is removed and what remains is pure metal powder.

The thermal decomposition of some hydrides (UH 3, TiH 2) can be used to produce pure hydrogen.

The most interesting areas of application of titanium hydride. It is used for the production of foam metals (for example, aluminum foam). To do this, the hydride is introduced into molten aluminum. At high temperatures, it decomposes, and the resulting hydrogen bubbles foam the liquid aluminum.

Titanium hydride can be used as a reducing agent for some metal oxides. It can serve as solder for joining metal parts, and as a substance that accelerates the sintering process of metal particles in powder metallurgy. The last two cases also take advantage of the reducing properties of the hydride. A layer of oxides usually forms on the surface of metal particles and metal parts. It prevents adhesion of adjacent sections of metal. When heated, titanium hydride reduces these oxides, thereby cleaning the metal surface.

Titanium hydride is used to produce some special alloys. If it is decomposed on the surface of a copper product, a thin layer of copper-titanium alloy is formed. This layer gives the surface of the product special mechanical properties. Thus, it is possible to combine several important properties (electrical conductivity, strength, hardness, abrasion resistance, etc.) in one product.

Finally, titanium hydride is a very effective means of protecting against neutrons, gamma rays and other hard radiation.

Sometimes, on the contrary, one has to fight against the formation of interstitial hydrides. In metallurgy, chemical, oil and other industries, hydrogen or its compounds are under pressure and at high temperatures. Under such conditions, hydrogen can diffuse to a noticeable extent through the heated metal and simply “leave” from the equipment. In addition (and this is perhaps most important!), due to the formation of interstitial hydrides, the strength of metal equipment can be greatly reduced. And this already poses a serious danger when working with high pressures.

Nickel hydride- a binary inorganic compound of nickel metal and hydrogen with the formula NiH 2, black crystals, reacts with water.

Receipt

• Effect of hydrogen on diphenylnickel:

Physical properties

Nickel hydride forms black crystals that are stable in ethereal solution.

Chemical properties

• Decomposes on slight heating:

• Reacts with water:

Application

• Catalyst for hydrogenation reactions.

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Literature

• Chemical Encyclopedia / Editorial Board: Knunyants I.L. and others. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1992. - T. 3. - 639 p. - ISBN 5-82270-039-8.
• Ripan R., Ceteanu I. Inorganic chemistry. Chemistry of metals. - M.: Mir, 1972. - T. 2. - 871 p.

Excerpt characterizing Nickel Hydride

Returning from the review, Kutuzov, accompanied by the Austrian general, went into his office and, calling the adjutant, ordered to be given some papers related to the state of the arriving troops, and letters received from Archduke Ferdinand, who commanded the advanced army. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky entered the commander-in-chief's office with the required papers. Kutuzov and an Austrian member of the Gofkriegsrat sat in front of the plan laid out on the table.
“Ah...” said Kutuzov, looking back at Bolkonsky, as if with this word he was inviting the adjutant to wait, and continued the conversation he had begun in French.
“I’m just saying one thing, General,” Kutuzov said with a pleasant grace of expression and intonation, which forced you to listen carefully to every leisurely spoken word. It was clear that Kutuzov himself enjoyed listening to himself. “I only say one thing, General, that if the matter depended on my personal desire, then the will of His Majesty Emperor Franz would have been fulfilled long ago.” I would have joined the Archduke long ago. And believe my honor, it would be a joy for me personally to hand over the highest command of the army to a more knowledgeable and skilled general than I am, of which Austria is so abundant, and to relinquish all this heavy responsibility. But circumstances are stronger than us, General.
And Kutuzov smiled with an expression as if he was saying: “You have every right not to believe me, and even I don’t care at all whether you believe me or not, but you have no reason to tell me this. And that’s the whole point.”
The Austrian general looked dissatisfied, but could not help but respond to Kutuzov in the same tone.
“On the contrary,” he said in a grumpy and angry tone, so contrary to the flattering meaning of the words he was saying, “on the contrary, your Excellency’s participation in the common cause is highly valued by His Majesty; but we believe that the present slowdown deprives the glorious Russian troops and their commanders-in-chief of the laurels that they are accustomed to reaping in battles,” he finished his apparently prepared phrase.
Kutuzov bowed without changing his smile.
“And I am so convinced and, based on the last letter with which His Highness Archduke Ferdinand honored me, I assume that the Austrian troops, under the command of such a skillful assistant as General Mack, have now won a decisive victory and no longer need our help,” said Kutuzov.
The general frowned. Although there was no positive news about the defeat of the Austrians, there were too many circumstances that confirmed the general unfavorable rumors; and therefore Kutuzov’s assumption about the victory of the Austrians was very similar to ridicule. But Kutuzov smiled meekly, still with the same expression, which said that he had the right to assume this. Indeed, the last letter he received from Mac's army informed him of the victory and the most advantageous strategic position of the army.
“Give me this letter here,” said Kutuzov, turning to Prince Andrei. - If you please see. - And Kutuzov, with a mocking smile at the ends of his lips, read in German to the Austrian general the following passage from a letter from Archduke Ferdinand: “Wir haben vollkommen zusammengehaltene Krafte, nahe an 70,000 Mann, um den Feind, wenn er den Lech passirte, angreifen und schlagen zu konnen. Wir konnen, da wir Meister von Ulm sind, den Vortheil, auch von beiden Uferien der Donau Meister zu bleiben, nicht verlieren; mithin auch jeden Augenblick, wenn der Feind den Lech nicht passirte, die Donau ubersetzen, uns auf seine Communikations Linie werfen, die Donau unterhalb repassiren und dem Feinde, wenn er sich gegen unsere treue Allirte mit ganzer Macht wenden wollte, seine Absicht alabald vereitelien. Wir werden auf solche Weise den Zeitpunkt, wo die Kaiserlich Ruseische Armee ausgerustet sein wird, muthig entgegenharren, und sodann leicht gemeinschaftlich die Moglichkeit finden, dem Feinde das Schicksal zuzubereiten, so er verdient.” [We have quite concentrated forces, about 70,000 people, so that we can attack and defeat the enemy if he crosses Lech. Since we already own Ulm, we can retain the benefit of command of both banks of the Danube, therefore, every minute, if the enemy does not cross the Lech, cross the Danube, rush to his communication line, and below cross the Danube back to the enemy, if he decides to turn all his power on our faithful allies, prevent his intention from being fulfilled. Thus, we will cheerfully await the time when the imperial Russian army is completely ready, and then together we will easily find the opportunity to prepare for the enemy the fate he deserves.”]
Kutuzov sighed heavily, ending this period, and looked attentively and affectionately at the member of the Gofkriegsrat.
“But you know, Your Excellency, the wise rule is to assume the worst,” said the Austrian general, apparently wanting to end the jokes and get down to business.