High Performance
Battery Technologies

RBC's high rate bobbin (HRB) cell technology represents a major advance in performance with 2-3 times the run time of premium commercial alkaline in digital camera tests while maintaining equivalent performance at low discharge rates. This has been accomplished with a unique, patent-pending structural design that substantially increases the surface area of contact between the reactive portions of the battery, the anode and cathode, by a factor of three.

More importantly, this design is readily manufacturable on automated high speed manufacturing equipment, a necessity for keeping manufacturing costs in the same range as current alkaline bobbin cell designs. Thus all of the favorable attributes of alkaline products, low-cost, safety, long shelf life, are retained.

The HRB technology has the potential to be the new state of the art for alkaline in standard cylindrical formats such as AAA, AA, C and D sizes. Technology analysts have verified the performance, safety, manufacturabilty, patentability and cost with major alkaline producers who are leading licensee candidates.

RBC has installed a pilot line facility for small-scale production of HRB cells. The cell design has been demonstrated in two electrochemical systems:

  • Conventionalalkaline (MnO/Zinc)
  • Nickel oxyhydroxide/Zinc

The nickel HRB cell offers the best possible value for digital camera use. Performance comparisons of HRB with other commercial products are given in the conference proceedings available for download.

2006 International Battery Symposium presentation

In addition to the HRB technology, RBC has also developed specialized advanced rechargeable battery technologies under contract to NASA and the US Navy.