Talk:Nickel-Iron Battery
On toxicity and other safety concerns:
Nickel oxide/hyroxide is indeed toxic, but as it would be contained in a battery, it seems this is likely the best place for such a substance to be. Basic safety protocol should keep anyone who should have to handle the battery and/or its components safe from harm.
Lye isn't 'toxic' it's caustic and corrosive. Either way, it doesn't get along with the body very well. However, once built, the lye will be diluted in a solution (ideally of glycerol), and so there shouldn't be much danger at all associated with the battery once built. However, utmost caution should be exercised when mixing the electrolyte (which shouldn't be a problem if waste glycerine from biodiesel production is used).
Unfortunately, nickel is also a strategic metal, which does add to its cost, but further research may point the way to better localized sources. Of course, this shouldn't be an issue as each 1kWh battery has a one time cost of 2kg nickel (as is explained in the page). All in all, I think NiFe chemistry is about the safest practical battery that could be constructed. Colin 14:45, 16 May 2011 (PDT)
Feel free to edit the section I added on toxicity, I just wanted to make sure that something was there. Yes, lye is corrosive, but I do agree that handled correctly, it can be safe. We might want to add links/comments to the effect that lye can be made from wood ashes.
You might want to do a bit of sourcing for nickel. I wonder how much it costs. - Mark J Norton