Process for producing zinc or zinc alloy powder for battery

Abstract

An alkaline battery having as an anode a zinc or zinc alloy powder obtained by dropping molten zinc or a molten zinc alloy to form a molten metal droplets stream and striking an atomizing medium jet emitted from a nozzle against the molten metal stream at right angles to atomize the molten zinc or the molten zinc alloy, wherein two or more the nozzles are arranged in parallel to each other, the orifice of each of the nozzles has a V-shaped, U-shaped, X-shaped or arc-shaped cross-section, the atomizing medium is air or an inert gas, two or more the molten metal streams have at least two different flow rates selected from a range 0.04 to 025 kg/sec, and two or more of the atomizing medium jets have at least two different atomizing pressures selected from a range 4 to 9 kg/cm 2 .

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An alkaline battery, comprising: 
 a battery case;    a cathode; and    an anode;    wherein said anode is a zinc or zinc alloy powder obtained by dropping molten zinc or a molten zinc alloy to form a stream of molten metal droplets and striking a jet of an atomizing medium emitted from the orifice of a nozzle against the molten metal stream at right angles to atomize the molten zinc or the molten zinc alloy, wherein 
 two or more said nozzles are arranged in parallel to each other, the orifice of each of said nozzles has a V-shaped, U-shaped, X-shaped or arc-shaped cross-section, said atomizing medium is air or an inert gas,  
 two or more said molten metal streams have at least two different flow rates selected from a range of from 0.04 to 0.25 kg/sec, and two or more said jets of said atomizing medium have at least two different atomizing pressures selected from a range of from 4 to 9 kg/cm 2 .  
   
     
     
         2 . The alkaline battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the powder contains particles of −200 mesh in a proportion of 20 to 70% by weight.  
     
     
         3 . The alkaline battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode is in a cathode case.  
     
     
         4 . The alkaline battery according to  claim 3 , further comprising a separator separating the cathode from the anode, a seal, a negative cap, an anode current collector, and a positive cap.