Classification

Characteristics
Ag
2
O-Zn, Ni-Cd, Zn-Air, Ni-MH
Lithium Batteries: Li-MnO
2
and Li-ion cells

BATTERY TECHNOLOGY
MODULE 1
Dr. Siju N. Antony
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry
NHCE, Bangalore

Battery is a device consisting of two or more
galvanic cells connected in series, parallel or both.
Battery can store chemical energy in the form of
active materials and on demand converts in to
electrical energy through electrochemical redox
reaction.
Battery acts as a portable source of electrical
energy.
Batteries are used in calculators, digital watches,
hearing aids, laptops, car engines, space
applications etc.
BATTERY

Basic components of battery

Baghdad Battery
The jars are believed to be about
2,000 years old and consist of an
earthenware shell, with a stopper
composed of asphalt. Sticking
through the top of the stopper is an
iron rod. Inside the jar the rod is
surrounded by a cylinder of copper.
Konig thought these things looked
like electric batteries and published a
paper on the subject in 1940.
Parthians may have used these
batteries for electroplating.
The little jar in Baghdad suggests
that Volta didn't invent the battery,
but reinvented it.
Classification of batteries
1. Primary batteries (irreversible): A primary battery is
one in which electrical energy can be obtained at the
expense of chemical energy only as long as the active
materials are still present. Once these have been consumed,
the cell can not be profitably or readily rejuvenated and must
be discarded.
Ex: Dry cell, alkaline-MnO
2
battery, lithium battery, Silver oxide
zinc battery
2.Secondary batteries: (rechargeable battery): In
secondary batteries the cell reactions are reversible. They are
also called storage batteries. The discharged battery can be
recharged by passing current through it in the direction
opposite to that of discharge current.
Ex: Ni-Cd battery, Li ion battery, Lead-acid battery etc


3. Reserve batteries
One of the components is stored separately
and is incorporated into the battery when
required. Usually, the electrolyte is stored
separately.
They have long shelf life and high performance
reliability.
Activated by a) Using water b) Using electrolyte
Ex: Mg CuCl, Zn-silver oxide batteries etc.
Uses: Mines, artillery, pilot balloons, radars and
submarines.

Differences
Primary Batteries
Cell reaction is irreversible.
Must be discarded after use.
Have relatively short shelf
life
Function only as galvanic
cells
Cannot be used as storage
devices
They cannot be recharged.
Ex: Dry cell, Li-MnO
2
battery.

Secondary Batteries
Cell reaction is reversible
May be recharged
Have long shelf life.

Functions as both galvanic
& electrolytic cell.
Can be used as energy
storage devices
They can be recharged
Lead acid, Ni-Cd battery








Battery Characteristics
Cell Potential: Depends on the free energy change in the
overall cell reaction
E
cell
= E
cell
2.303 RT log Q
nF

Current: Current is the rate at which discharge reaction occurs
Capacity: Capacity is the charge in ampere hours (A h) that
could be obtained from the battery.
C = WnF
M
Electricity storage density: Amount of electricity per unit
weight which the accumulator can hold
Energy efficiency:
% of Energy efficiency = Energy released on discharge X 100
Energy required for charging
Cycle Life: The number of charge/discharge cycles that are
possible before failure occurs.
Ag
2
O-Zn battery
Construction



Anode : Zn
Cathode : Ag
2
O
Electrolyte: KOH solution
Separator: Cellophane/nylon fibre mats/polypropylene
Working
Applications
Satellites, military aircraft and submarines

Ni-Cd Battery
Construction

Anode : spongy Cd with 78% Cd(OH)
2
, 18% Fe, 1% Ni and
1% graphite
Cathode : 80% Ni(OH)
2
and Ni(OH)
3 ,
2% Co(OH)
2
,
18% graphite and traces of barium
Electrolyte: KOH solution
Separator: felted nylon




Working

Anode: Cd
(s)
+2OH
-
(aq)
Cd(OH)
2(s)
+ 2e
-
Cathode: 2Ni(OH)
3(s)
+2e
-
2Ni(OH)
2(s)
+2OH
-
(aq)

Net Reaction: Cd
(s)
+2Ni(OH)
3(s)
2Ni(OH)
2(s)
+ Cd(OH)
2(s)
Applications

Phones, alarms systems, transmitters, receivers, computers,
emergency lighting, hearing aids, telemeter and calculators
Zn-Air battery

Construction

Anode : granulated Zn
Cathode : O
2
with carbon +
oxides of Mn
Electrolyte: KOH solution
Separator : Asbestos/polypropylene
Working
At anode : Zn + 2OH
-
Zn O +H
2
O + 2e
-

At cathode : O
2
+ 2e
-
+ H
2
O 2OH
-

Net Cell Reaction: Zn + 1/2O
2
ZnO
Applications
Hearing aids, electronic pagers, telemetry, portable battery
chargers and medical devices
Ni-MH battery

Construction

Anode: Hydrogen adsorbed
in a metal alloy
Cathode: NiOOH on porous
Ni foil
Electrolyte: 5.35 M KOH
Separator : Polypropylene
Working
At anode : MH + OH
--
M + H
2
O + e
-

At cathode : NiOOH + e
-
+ H
2
O Ni (OH)
2
+ OH
-

Net Cell Reaction: MH + NiOOH M + Ni (OH)
2

Applications
cell phones, laptops, emergency backup lighting, electric
vehicles, medical instruments, cameras, electric razors etc.
Lithium batteries
Advantages


Li-MnO
2
batteries


Construction

Anode : Li
Cathode : MnO
2

Electrolyte: Li salts +
propylene carbonate +
1,2-dimethoxyethane
Separator : Non-woven Polypropylene

High voltage
High energy density
Wide operational temperature range
Good power density
Flat discharge characteristics
Superior shelf life
Working
At anode : Li Li
+
+ e
-

At cathode : MnO
2
+ e
-
+ Li
+
LiMnO
2

Net Cell Reaction: Li + MnO
2
LiMnO
2

Applications
Calculators, watches, memory back up, sensors, bar code
readers, transmitters, security and electronic equipments.
Li-Ion cells

Construction

Anode : Carbon
Cathode : LiCoO
2

Electrolyte: Ether
Separator : Microperforated plastic

Working

At anode : 6C + Li
+
+ e
-
LiC
6

At cathode : LiCoO
2
Li
+
e
-
Li
0.5
CoO
2

Net Cell Reaction: C + LiCoO
2
LiC
6
+ Li
0.5
CoO
2

Advantages

High energy density, Does not need prolonged priming when new. One
regular charge is all that's needed. Low self-discharge. Low Maintenance
Specialty cells can provide very high current to applications such as
power tools.

Limitations

Requires protection circuit to maintain voltage and current within safe
limits.
Subject to aging. Transportation restrictions. Expensive to manufacture.
Not fully mature.

Applications
Consumer electronic devices (laptopes, cell phones and
iPods)
Fuel Cells Generally Contain

Anode
Anode Catalyst
Cathode
Cathode Catalyst
Gas Diffusion Layer
Electrolyte
A load to complete the circuit
Continuous feed of fuel
Continuous feed of air or oxygen

A fuel cell is a galvanic cell in which chemical
energy of a fuel oxidant system is converted
directly into electrical energy in a continuous
electrochemical process.

Cell Schematic Representation:

Fuel/electrode/electrolyte/electrode/oxidant

e.g. H
2
/ Pt / KOH / Pt /O
2



The reactants (i.e. fuel + oxidant) are
constantly supplied from outside and the
products are removed at the same rate as
they are formed.
Anode:
Fuel+ oxygen Oxidation products+ ne
-
Cathode:
Oxidant + ne
-
Reduction products.
Based on

Temperature




Fuel



Electrolyte



Low temp. (25 C-100 C)
Intermediate temp. (100 C-500 C)
High temp. (500 C-1000 C)
Very high temp. (>1000 C)

Gaseous (H
2
, NH
3
)
Liquid (Alcohols, hydrocarbons)
Solid (Coal, hydrides)

PEMFC, AFC,DMFC, PAFC, MCFC,
SOFC


CH
3
OH-O
2
Fuel Cell

Both electrodes: Made of porous nickel plates
impregnated with finely
divided Platinum.

Fuel : Methyl alcohol.

Oxidant : Pure oxygen / air.

Electrolyte : 3.7M H
2
SO
4
CH
3
OH-O
2
Fuel Cell
Working

CO
2
, a product of the reaction can be easily removed.

The cell potential is 1.21V at 25C.

Used in military applications

In large scale power production

Marine applications such as in boats and ships

In automobiles
MeOH is one of the most electro active organic
fuels in the low temperature range as
*It has low carbon content
*It posseses a readily oxidizable OH group
*It is miscible in all proportions in
aqueous electrolytes.
Advantages of Fuel Cells
High efficiency of the energy conversion
process.
Silent operation.
No moving parts and so elimination of
wear and tear.
Absence of harmful waste products.
No need of charging.
Limitations of Fuel Cells

Cost of power is high as a result of the cost of
electrodes.
Fuels in the form of gases and O
2
need to be
stored in tanks under high pressure.
Power output is moderate.
They are sensitive to fuel contaminants such as
CO,H
2
S, NH
3
& halides, depending on the type
of fuel cell.
Differences

Fuel Cell Galvanic Cell
*Do not store chemical Stores chemical energy
energy
*Reactants are fed from The reactants form an
outside continuously. integral part of it.
*Need expensive noble These conditions are
metal catalysts. not required
*No need of charging Get-discharged when stored
up energy is exhausted.
*Never become dead Limited life span in use
*Useful for long-term Useful as portable power services
electricity generation.
Fuel cell applications
Cell phones that dont quit in mid conversation
because the batteries have died

Laptop computers that run all day without power
cords

Efficient automobiles that emit virtually no
nitrogen oxide or hydrocarbon pollutants



Fuel cell applications

Tiny self-powered gas sensors built on integrated
circuits

Home electrical systems that keep working even if
the power grid fails

Sensors, electronic weapons, and communication
gear for soldiers in the field

Replacement for Li ion batteries in portable
electronic devices





What are the types of fuel cell applications?



Problems
1. Calculate the potential of a Daniel cell at 298 K if the free energy
change of the cell reaction is -212.3kJ mol
-1
. F=96.5kJV
-1
mol
-1

2. A zinc rod is placed in 0.1M solution of ZnSO4 at 25 C. Assuming
that the salt is 95% dissociated, calculate E
Zn
2+
/
Zn
at this
temperature. Given E
Zn
2+
/
Zn
= -0.76V
3. Calculate the potential of the cell formed from silver and copper
electrodes if the concentration of Ag
+
and Cu
2+
are 4.2 x 10
-6
M
and 1.3 x 10
-3
M respectively. E
cell
= 0.46V. Calculate G for the
reduction of one mol of Ag
+
by Cu. F=96.5kJV
-1
mol
-1

4. The spontaneous galvanic cell
tin/tin ion (0.024M)// tin ion (0.064 M)/tin develops a potential
of 0.0126V at 298 K. Calculate the valency of tin.