鎳氫電池中(zhong)的(de)(de)“金(jin)屬”部分實際上(shang)(shang)是(shi)(shi)金(jin)屬互(hu)化物。許多(duo)種類(lei)(lei)(lei)的(de)(de)金(jin)屬互(hu)化物都已被運用在鎳氫(qing)電池的(de)(de)制造(zao)上(shang)(shang)，它們(men)主(zhu)要(yao)分為(wei)兩大類(lei)(lei)(lei)。最常見(jian)的(de)(de)是(shi)(shi)AB5一類(lei)(lei)(lei)，A是(shi)(shi)稀(xi)土元素的(de)(de)混(hun)合物(或者(zhe))再加(jia)上(shang)(shang)鈦(Ti);B則(ze)是(shi)(shi)鎳(Ni)、鈷(Co)、錳(meng)(Mn)，(或者(zhe))還有鋁(Al)。而一些高容(rong)量(liang)電池的(de)(de)“含多(duo)種成(cheng)分”的(de)(de)電極則(ze)主(zhu)要(yao)由(you)AB2構成(cheng)，這里的(de)(de)A則(ze)是(shi)(shi)鈦(Ti)或者(zhe)釩(V)，B則(ze)是(shi)(shi)鋯(gao)(Zr)或鎳(Ni)，再加(jia)上(shang)(shang)一些鉻(Cr)、鈷(Co)、鐵(Fe)和(或)錳(meng)(Mn)。[1]

所有這些(xie)化(hua)合(he)物扮(ban)演的(de)(de)(de)都是(shi)相(xiang)同的(de)(de)(de)角色：可逆地形(xing)成金屬氫化(hua)物。電(dian)(dian)池充電(dian)(dian)時，氫氧化(hua)鉀(jia)(KOH)電(dian)(dian)解液(ye)中的(de)(de)(de)氫離(li)子(zi)(H+)會被(bei)釋(shi)放(fang)出來(lai)，由這些(xie)化(hua)合(he)物將它吸收，避免形(xing)成氫氣(H2)，以保(bao)持電(dian)(dian)池內部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)壓力(li)和體積。當電(dian)(dian)池放(fang)電(dian)(dian)時，這些(xie)氫離(li)子(zi)便(bian)會經由相(xiang)反的(de)(de)(de)過程而回到(dao)原來(lai)的(de)(de)(de)地方。

一、重量

以每一(yi)個單元電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓來(lai)看，鎳氫與鎳鎘都是1.2V，而鋰(li)(li)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)確為(wei)3.6V，鋰(li)(li)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓是其他兩者(zhe)的(de)(de)(de)3倍。并且同型(xing)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的(de)(de)(de)重(zhong)(zhong)量(liang)鋰(li)(li)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)與鎳鎘電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)幾乎相等，而鎳氫電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)卻比較重(zhong)(zhong)。可知，每一(yi)個電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)本(ben)身重(zhong)(zhong)量(liang)不同，但鋰(li)(li)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)因3.6V高(gao)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓，在輸(shu)出同等電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓的(de)(de)(de)情況(kuang)下使(shi)的(de)(de)(de)單個電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)組合時數目可減少3分之1而使(shi)成型(xing)后的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)重(zhong)(zhong)量(liang)和體積減小。

二、記憶效應

鎳氫電池與鎳鎘電池相同都有記憶效應，但遠小于鎳鎘電池，大于鋰離子電池。每次(ci)充(chong)電(dian)(dian)前(qian)沒有必要進(jin)行(xing)放電(dian)(dian)操作(反而(er)可(ke)能因(yin)為不規(gui)范放電(dian)(dian)損(sun)害電(dian)(dian)池)，每3個(ge)月(yue)進(jin)行(xing)一次(ci)完(wan)全充(chong)放電(dian)(dian)可(ke)以(yi)緩解記(ji)憶效應(ying)(實(shi)際上記(ji)憶效應(ying)并(bing)不明顯(xian)，不太在(zai)乎(hu)的可(ke)以(yi)無視)。相對(dui)的鋰(li)電(dian)(dian)池而(er)言因(yin)為幾乎(hu)沒有記(ji)憶效應(ying)，在(zai)使用上非(fei)常方(fang)便(bian)簡單。它(ta)完(wan)全不必理會殘(can)余(yu)電(dian)(dian)壓多少，直接可(ke)進(jin)行(xing)充(chong)電(dian)(dian)，充(chong)電(dian)(dian)時間自然可(ke)以(yi)縮(suo)短。

三、自放電率

鎳(nie)鎘(ge)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)為15～30%(月)。鎳(nie)氫(qing)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)為25～35%(月)，鋰(li)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)為2～5%(月)。以上鎳(nie)氫(qing)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的(de)自放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)率為最大，而鋰(li)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的(de)特(te)長與其(qi)他兩類(lei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)相(xiang)比放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)率極低(di)。

四、充電方式

鎳氫電池及鋰電池無法耐過充電。因此，鎳氫電池以定電流充電的PICK CUT 控制方式在充電電壓達到最高時，停止繼續充電為最好的充電方式。而鋰電池則使用定電流、定電壓方式充電最好，若以鎳鎘電池的充電器-DV控制方式進(jin)行(xing)充電(dian)的(de)話對鎳氫(qing)電(dian)池和(he)鋰電(dian)池。