Appeal 2007-1680
Application 10/081,087
I. APPEALED SUBJECT MATTER
The subject matter on appeal is directed to a positive electrode material
for use in alkaline storage batteries, containing nickel hydroxide and/or nickel
oxyhydroxide powder. Details of the appealed subject matter are recited in
representative claim 11 reproduced below:
1. A positive electrode active material for an alkaline storage battery
comprising: at least one selected from the group consisting of a nickel
hydroxide powder and a nickel oxyhydroxide powder,
(1) wherein said positive electrode active material has a mean particle
circularity from greater than 0.95 to less than 1 as determined by a particle
image analysis with a flat sheath flow utilizing hydrodynamics and wherein
the number of particles having a circularity of not larger than 0.85 accounts
for not more than 5% of the number of total particles within said positive
electrode material,
(2) said positive electrode material has a mean particle size from not
smaller than 5 µm to not larger than 20 µm on a volume basis,
(3) said positive electrode active material has a specific surface area
from not smaller than 5 m2/g to not larger than 20 m2/g, and
(4) at least said nickel hydroxide powder has an X-ray diffraction
pattern where a full width at half maximum of a peak attributed to (101) face
is from not less than 0.7 deg/2θ to not more than 1.2 deg/2θ and a ratio of a
peak intensity of a peak attributed to (001) face to a peak intensity of a peak
attributed to (101) face is not less than 1.1.
1 The Appellants do not separately argue the individual claims on appeal
(Br.5-15). Therefore, for purposes of this appeal, we decide the propriety of
the Examiner’s rejections based on claim 1 alone consistent with 37 C.F.R.
§ 41.37(C)(1)(vii)(2006).
2
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