Abstract:Zirconia separator is one of the key materials of nickel-hydrogen battery, thereby zirconia separators are prepared by precursor process in which cellulose textiles immersed with zirconium salts are oxidized, infrared spectra show that viscose textile is an excellent precursor for preparing zirconia separator. The dominant factors in immersion are studied, it is revealed that the solution concentration and the temperature are the most important factors with regard to the area density of zirconia separator. The main reactions of immersed textiles during heat treatment are investigated by TG-DSC. The prepared zirconia separators are analyzed by SEM, XRD and infrared spectroscopy, which lead to kown that the separators maintain the same morphology of precursor textiles and contain little organic components, the main phase of the separators is tetragonal zirconia, the rate and the amount of alkaline absorption are about 5 cm/min and 220% respectively.

Key words: zirconia; nickel-hydrogen battery separator; precursor process