If those patents hadn't been, or had they been shorter lived, or if antitrust law was more robust, we might have seen a lot more investment in optimizations on and variations of the NiMH chemistry.
I guess part of the reason is that the "M" in "NiMH" stands for Lanthanum - a rare earth element which happens to be used in catalysts facilitating oil refinement.
Of course catalysts are consumed slowly, but you still don't want any disturbances in the supply of a key element.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_encumbrance_of_large_...
If those patents hadn't been, or had they been shorter lived, or if antitrust law was more robust, we might have seen a lot more investment in optimizations on and variations of the NiMH chemistry.
What a fascinating world I'll never live in.