From what I've been reading in Edisons Patents on his batteries.... the Electrodes he used were QUITE UNIQUE, he made his own Nickel Oxide and Iron Oxide(which had some mercury in it, haven't found the whole process yet found MANY patents to go through).
His Oxides were in Powder form. I haven't read up on the Iron electrode yet but for the Nickel Electrode he took thin sheet metal, nickel plated and Perfed it then rolled it into tubes and packed it with the Nickel Oxide.
The Electrolite was basically KOH ... BUT he had other stuff with it haven't gotten to that patent yet either but it was referenced to have Lithium in it.
Another interesting side note.... When he prepared the Batteries for shipping he put a REVERSE CHARGE into it to Draw ALL of the chemicals back into the plates before the electrolite was drained out otherwise the Iron plate would Oxidize from contact with the AIR because of the Mercury in it !
Hopefully for our purpose solid plates or colloidial will work with just diluted KOH.
I found 4 of the smaller Miner Lamp batteries to Disect and experiment with. I will fill you in when I get them and see first hand what is in them 
Statistics: Posted by WaterFireHO — Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:56 am
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