Japan-based Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. will this month begin selling a rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride battery the company said is designed to be environmentally friendly while offering the user the convenience of a dry cell battery.
The next-generation battery, to be called ‘eneloop’, can be used repeatedly, according to Sanyo, and once used completely, can be recycled.
The nickel-metal-hydride battery has improved self-discharge properties, overcoming the memory effect characteristics that often plague other rechargeable batteries. Sanyo claims the battery can be used a thousand times over without memory effects.
Sanyo said the battery can be used immediately after purchase, like a dry cell, but without the disposal issues that accompany such batteries. Sanyo is setting up battery recycling centers at thousands of electronic retailers.
The battery uses a high-performance negative electrode made of a superlattice alloy. It comes in tube and external packaging made of recycled polyethylene material.
