Patent ID: 8159192

Claim:
A method of charging a nickel-metal hydride battery having a positive electrode containing nickel hydroxide, a negative electrode containing a hydrogen storage alloy, an alkaline electrolyte, and a separator comprising a substantially non-porous alkali ion conducting material, comprising the steps of: applying an electric charging potential to the positive and negative electrodes to cause the following reaction to occur at the positive electrode: Ni(OH) 2 +MeOH→NiOOH+H20+Me++ +e − and to cause the following reaction to occur at the negative electrode: M+H20 + e − +Me+˜MHab +MeOH where M is a hydrogen absorbing alloy, H ab is absorbed hydrogen, and Me is an alkali metal; and conducting Me+ ions across the alkali ion conducting separator from the positive electrode to the negative electrode, wherein the positive electrode is the electrode bearing a positive charge on discharge and the negative electrode bears a negative charge on discharge; wherein the separator is a solid alkali metal ion super ion conducting material, wherein the alkali metal is Na, K, or Li.