鎳氫電池中的(de)“金(jin)屬(shu)”部分實際上是(shi)(shi)(shi)金(jin)屬(shu)互(hu)化物。許多(duo)種(zhong)類(lei)(lei)的(de)金(jin)屬(shu)互(hu)化物都已(yi)被運用在鎳氫(qing)電池(chi)的(de)制造上，它們主(zhu)要(yao)分為兩大(da)類(lei)(lei)。最常見的(de)是(shi)(shi)(shi)AB5一(yi)類(lei)(lei)，A是(shi)(shi)(shi)稀土(tu)元素的(de)混合物(或者)再加上鈦(tai)(Ti);B則(ze)是(shi)(shi)(shi)鎳(Ni)、鈷(gu)(Co)、錳(meng)(Mn)，(或者)還有鋁(lv)(Al)。而一(yi)些高(gao)容量(liang)電池(chi)的(de)“含多(duo)種(zhong)成(cheng)分”的(de)電極則(ze)主(zhu)要(yao)由AB2構成(cheng)，這里的(de)A則(ze)是(shi)(shi)(shi)鈦(tai)(Ti)或者釩(V)，B則(ze)是(shi)(shi)(shi)鋯(Zr)或鎳(Ni)，再加上一(yi)些鉻(Cr)、鈷(gu)(Co)、鐵(tie)(Fe)和(he)(或)錳(meng)(Mn)。[1]

所有這些(xie)(xie)化(hua)合物扮演的(de)都是(shi)相同的(de)角色：可逆(ni)地形成金屬氫(qing)化(hua)物。電(dian)池充電(dian)時(shi)(shi)，氫(qing)氧化(hua)鉀(KOH)電(dian)解液中的(de)氫(qing)離(li)子(H+)會(hui)被釋放出來，由(you)這些(xie)(xie)化(hua)合物將它吸收，避免(mian)形成氫(qing)氣(H2)，以保持電(dian)池內部的(de)壓力和體積。當電(dian)池放電(dian)時(shi)(shi)，這些(xie)(xie)氫(qing)離(li)子便會(hui)經由(you)相反的(de)過程而回(hui)到原(yuan)來的(de)地方。

一、重量

以每(mei)一個(ge)單(dan)元電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)來看，鎳氫與鎳鎘(ge)都是1.2V，而(er)鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)確為3.6V，鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)是其他兩者的(de)3倍。并且同(tong)型(xing)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)重量鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)與鎳鎘(ge)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)幾乎相(xiang)等，而(er)鎳氫電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)卻(que)比較重。可知(zhi)，每(mei)一個(ge)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)本(ben)身(shen)重量不同(tong)，但(dan)鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)因3.6V高電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)，在輸出(chu)同(tong)等電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)的(de)情況(kuang)下使(shi)的(de)單(dan)個(ge)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)組合時(shi)數目可減(jian)少3分之1而(er)使(shi)成型(xing)后(hou)的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)重量和體積減(jian)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。每次充(chong)(chong)電(dian)(dian)(dian)前沒有必(bi)要進行(xing)(xing)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)操作(反而(er)可能因為不(bu)規(gui)范(fan)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)損害(hai)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi))，每3個月(yue)進行(xing)(xing)一次完(wan)全(quan)充(chong)(chong)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)可以緩解(jie)記(ji)憶(yi)效(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)應(ying)(實際上記(ji)憶(yi)效(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)應(ying)并(bing)不(bu)明顯，不(bu)太在乎的可以無視)。相對的鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)而(er)言因為幾乎沒有記(ji)憶(yi)效(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)應(ying)，在使用上非常(chang)方便簡單。它完(wan)全(quan)不(bu)必(bi)理會殘余電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓多少(shao)，直接(jie)可進行(xing)(xing)充(chong)(chong)電(dian)(dian)(dian)，充(chong)(chong)電(dian)(dian)(dian)時間(jian)自(zi)然可以縮短。

三、自放電率

鎳鎘電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)為(wei)15～30%(月)。鎳氫電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)為(wei)25～35%(月)，鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)為(wei)2～5%(月)。以上鎳氫電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的自放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)率為(wei)最大，而鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)的特長與其他(ta)兩類電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)相比(bi)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)充電的話(hua)對鎳氫電池和(he)鋰電池。