Patent ID: 7214443

Claim:
A battery comprising: a cell with an acid electrolyte, wherein the cell is at least partially divided by a H + permeable separator into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment; wherein the acid electrolyte in the anode compartment comprises zinc, and wherein the acid electrolyte in the cathode compartment comprises an element that is oxidized during charging of the battery, and wherein oxidation of the zinc and reduction of the oxidized element produce current provided by the battery; wherein the acid electrolyte comprises an acid that has a chemical composition effective to form a salt with the oxidized element in an amount effective to increase an H + concentration in the cathode compartment sufficient to promote an H + flux into the anode compartment across the separator; and wherein the separator is configured such that the H + flux across the separator is sufficient to disintegrate a zinc dendrite proximal to the separator.