鎳氫電池中的(de)(de)“金屬”部分(fen)實際上(shang)(shang)是(shi)金屬互化(hua)物。許多(duo)種類(lei)的(de)(de)金屬互化(hua)物都已被運用在鎳(nie)氫電(dian)池的(de)(de)制造上(shang)(shang)，它(ta)們(men)主要(yao)分(fen)為(wei)兩大類(lei)。最常見的(de)(de)是(shi)AB5一類(lei)，A是(shi)稀土元素的(de)(de)混合物(或(huo)(huo)(huo)者)再加上(shang)(shang)鈦(tai)(Ti);B則是(shi)鎳(nie)(Ni)、鈷(Co)、錳(meng)(Mn)，(或(huo)(huo)(huo)者)還有鋁(Al)。而一些(xie)高容量(liang)電(dian)池的(de)(de)“含多(duo)種成分(fen)”的(de)(de)電(dian)極(ji)則主要(yao)由AB2構(gou)成，這里的(de)(de)A則是(shi)鈦(tai)(Ti)或(huo)(huo)(huo)者釩(V)，B則是(shi)鋯(Zr)或(huo)(huo)(huo)鎳(nie)(Ni)，再加上(shang)(shang)一些(xie)鉻(Cr)、鈷(Co)、鐵(Fe)和(或(huo)(huo)(huo))錳(meng)(Mn)。[1]

所有這些(xie)化(hua)合物扮演的都是相同的角色：可逆地形成金屬(shu)氫(qing)(qing)(qing)化(hua)物。電(dian)(dian)池充電(dian)(dian)時，氫(qing)(qing)(qing)氧(yang)化(hua)鉀(jia)(KOH)電(dian)(dian)解液中的氫(qing)(qing)(qing)離子(H+)會(hui)被釋放出來(lai)，由這些(xie)化(hua)合物將它吸(xi)收，避免形成氫(qing)(qing)(qing)氣(H2)，以保持(chi)電(dian)(dian)池內部的壓力和體積(ji)。當(dang)電(dian)(dian)池放電(dian)(dian)時，這些(xie)氫(qing)(qing)(qing)離子便會(hui)經(jing)由相反的過程而回到原來(lai)的地方(fang)。

一、重量

以每一個(ge)單元電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)來(lai)看，鎳氫與鎳鎘都是1.2V，而(er)鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)確為3.6V，鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)是其他(ta)兩者的(de)3倍。并(bing)且(qie)同(tong)型電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)重量(liang)(liang)鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)與鎳鎘電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)幾乎相(xiang)等，而(er)鎳氫電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)卻比較重。可知，每一個(ge)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)本身重量(liang)(liang)不同(tong)，但鋰電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)因3.6V高電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)，在輸(shu)出(chu)同(tong)等電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)的(de)情(qing)況下使的(de)單個(ge)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)組(zu)合時數目(mu)可減(jian)少3分(fen)之1而(er)使成型后的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)重量(liang)(liang)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。每次充電前沒有必要進(jin)行(xing)放電操作(反(fan)而(er)(er)可能因為不(bu)(bu)(bu)規范放電損害電池(chi))，每3個月進(jin)行(xing)一次完全充放電可以緩解(jie)記憶效應(實際上(shang)(shang)記憶效應并不(bu)(bu)(bu)明(ming)顯，不(bu)(bu)(bu)太在(zai)乎的可以無視)。相對的鋰電池(chi)而(er)(er)言因為幾乎沒有記憶效應，在(zai)使用上(shang)(shang)非常方便簡單(dan)。它完全不(bu)(bu)(bu)必理會殘余電壓多(duo)少，直接可進(jin)行(xing)充電，充電時間自然可以縮短。

三、自放電率

鎳鎘電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)為(wei)15～30%(月)。鎳氫電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)為(wei)25～35%(月)，鋰電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)為(wei)2～5%(月)。以上鎳氫電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)的(de)(de)自(zi)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)率為(wei)最大，而鋰電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)的(de)(de)特長與其他兩類(lei)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)相比放(fang)電(dian)(dian)率極低。

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(shi)進(jin)行充電(dian)(dian)的話對鎳氫電(dian)(dian)池和鋰電(dian)(dian)池。