Patent ID: 8053114

Claim:
A hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode comprising hydrogen-absorbing alloy particles containing at least nickel and a rare-earth element, said particles having a surface layer and an interior portion, wherein the surface layer has a nickel content greater than that of the interior portion, and nickel particles having a particle size within a range of from 10 nm to 50 nm are present in the surface layer, wherein the hydrogen-absorbing alloy particles comprise a hydrogen-absorbing alloy represented by the general formula Ln 1-x Mg x Ni a-b-c Al b Z c , where Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare-earth elements; Z is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ga, Zn, Sn, In, Cu, Si, P, and B; 0.05≦x≦0.30; 2.8≦a≦3.9; 0.05≦b≦0.25; and 0.01≦c≦0.25.