Dry cell cathode compositions

1,113,890. Cathode compositions containing substituted azodicarbonamides. AMERICAN CYANAMID CO. 30 Dec., 1966 [23 Feb., 1966], No. 58441/66. Heading H1B. A primary or secondary cell comprises an anode of an electropositive metal and a cathode composition comprising a mixture of carbon, an electrolyte, and a depolarizer compound which has the formula wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 are each H, C 1-8 alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cyanoalkyl, haloalkyl, nitroalkyl or alkenyl groups or R 1 and R 2 or R 3 and R 4 , being alkyl, may be joined by a direct link or through an N, O or S atom to form a heterocyclic ring. The depolarizer, a substituted azodicarbonamide or azobis (formamide), may be added as such, or formed in situ by oxidizing the corresponding substituted biurea by charging the cell. It is preferably finely divided e.g. of 20-10 Á, better about 1 Á, particle size, and preferably constitutes 10-50 weight per cent of the mixture. The anode may be e.g. of Zn, Mg or Al, which may contain alloyed Mn, Zr, Ce or Ca. Conventional separators of kraft paper, which may be impregnated with starch, carboxymethyl cellulose or cereal paste, or of vegetable parchment, or of porous films of nylon, polyester, polyolefin, polyacrylate, polyvinyl acetate or polyvinyl chloride may be used; laminated " Cellophane " (Registered Trade Mark) is preferred. The electrolyte may suitably be an aqueous solution containing halide and e.g. ammonium, zinc, manganous, or mercuric ions, at concentrations totalling from 30 g.p.l. to saturating amounts. For primary cells solutions containing 17 weight per cent ZnCl 2 and 27 weight per cent NB 4 Cl are useful; for secondary cells 17 weight per cent ZnCl 2 and 27 weight per cent NH 4 Br is preferred. In examples the N: N1-di-butyl, di-isobutyl, and di-propyl compounds of the above formula are mixed with carbon black and an electrolyte of one of the above preferred compositions. The resulting mixtures are used in a LeclanchÚ type cell (Example 4), a secondary cell in which a Zn strip contacts a cellulose/paper layer enclosing one end of a glass cylinder containing the mixture, (Example 5) and in "AA" size secondary cells using Zn cans and cellophane laminate separators (Examples 7-9). In Example 7 the electrolyte also contains 0.3 weight per cent HgCl 2 , and in Example 9 the mixture contains ZnO also.