Claims
- 1. A composite positive electrode material comprising:a particle of active positive electrode material, said active positive electrode material having crystallites; and a nucleating particle at least partially embedded within the interior of said particle of active positive electrode material, said nucleating particle controlling at least one feature of said crystallites selected from the group consisting of crystallite orientation, average crystallite size, and average crystallite shape.
- 2. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein the conductivity of said active positive electrode material is greater than the conductivity of the same active positive electrode material formed without said nucleating particle.
- 3. The composite positive electrode material of claim 2, wherein said conductivity is protonic conductivity.
- 4. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particle is totally embedded within said particle of positive electrode material.
- 5. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particle comprises a conductive material.
- 6. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises a metal.
- 7. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises nickel.
- 8. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises a nickel alloy.
- 9. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises copper.
- 10. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises a copper alloy.
- 11. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides, suicides, and borides.
- 12. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbon, and graphite.
- 13. The composite positive electrode material of claim 5, wherein said conductive material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of copper oxide, cobalt oxide, and indium tin oxide.
- 14. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particles is elongated.
- 15. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particle is substantially spherical.
- 16. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particle is a fiber.
- 17. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particle has an average length of less than about 10 microns.
- 18. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said nucleating particle has an average diameter of less than about 1.0 micron.
- 19. The composite positive electrode material of claim 1, wherein said positive electrode material comprises nickel hydroxide material.
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATON
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/135,460 filed on Aug. 17, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,213.
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