Electrochemical Cells: Batteries

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Electrochemical cells
Electrochemical cells either generate electrical energy from chemical reactions or they use electrical
energy to cause chemical reactions.
There are basically to types of cells used for electrochemical conversion:

1) The galvanic cell (also called a voltaic cell) that converts chemical energy into electrical energy, by a
spontaneous reaction. A standard house hold battery contains one or more galvanic cells.
2) The electrolytic cell that converts electrical energy into chemical energy. Electrical energy is used to
fuel the reaction.
1.6.1. Electrochemical energy storage
Electrochemical energy storage is a method used to store electricity in a chemical form. This storage
technique benefits from the fact that both electrical and chemical energy share the same carrier, the
electron.
This common point allows limiting the losses due to the conversion from one form to another.
Common forms for electrochemical storage and conversion

 Batteries
 Fuel cells
 Batteries
When two or more electrochemical cells are electrically interconnected, each of which containing two
electrodes and an electrolyte is called a Battery.
A battery (storage cell) is a galvanic cell (or a series of galvanic cells) that contains all the reactants
needed to produce electricity.
Batteries are classified into a two categories depending on their recharging capabilities.
a) Primary Batteries - These are non-rechargeable and are meant for single use and to be discarded
after use. A common primary battery is the dry cell. The dry cell is a zinc-carbon battery. The zinc
can serves as both a container and the negative electrode.
Chemistry for Engineers

2
 Leclanché Dry Cell

The dry cell, by far the most common type of battery, is used in flashlights, electronic devices such
as the Walkman and Game Boy, and many other devices.
The alkaline battery is essentially a Leclanché cell adapted to operate under alkaline, or basic,
conditions. Alkaline batteries were designed as direct replacements for zinc-carbon (dry cell) batteries.
Photo courtesy of Mitchclanky2008, www.flickr.com/photos
 Button/Mercury Batteries
Although some of the small button batteries used to power watches, calculators, and cameras are
miniature alkaline cells, most are based on a completely different chemistry. In these "button" batteries,
the anode is a zinc–mercury amalgam rather than pure zinc, and the cathode uses either HgO or Ag2O as
the oxidant rather than MnO2.
Button batteries. Photo courtesy of Gerhard H Wrodnigg,

Images used with permission from Wikipedia
 Lithium–Iodine Battery
None of the batteries described above is actually “dry.” They all contain small amounts of liquid
water, which adds significant mass and causes potential corrosion problems. Consequently, substantial
effort has been expended to develop water-free batteries. One of the few commercially successful water-
free batteries is the lithium–iodine battery.
Cardiac pacemaker:
An x-ray of a patient showing the location and size of a pacemaker powered by a lithium–iodine battery.
Dry cells, button batteries, and lithium–iodine batteries are disposable and cannot be recharged once
they are discharged. Rechargeable batteries, in contrast, offer significant economic and environmental
advantages because they can be recharged and discharged numerous times. As a result, manufacturing
and disposal costs drop dramatically for a given number of hours of battery usage.

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Differences between Primary and secondary batteries:

Primary cells Secondary cells
1. These are non-rechargeable and meant for a single use
1. These are rechargeable and meant for multi cycle use.
and to be discarded after use.
2. Chemical cell reaction can be reversed.
2. Chemical cell reaction is not reversible.
3. Can be rechargeable.
3. Cannot be rechargeable.
4. Expensive.
4. Less expensive.
5. Can be used again and again by recharging the cell.
5. Can be used as long as the materials are active in their
composition.
Secondary Batteries - These are rechargeable and are meant for multi cycle use. After every use the
electrochemical reaction could be reversed by external application fades or lost due to leakage or internal
short circuit. Two common rechargeable batteries are the nickel–cadmium battery and the lead–acid
battery. These are the types of batteries found in devices such as smartphones, electronic tablets, and
automobiles.
 Nickel–Cadmium (NiCd) Battery

The nickel–cadmium, or NiCd, battery is used in small electrical appliances and devices like drills,
portable vacuum cleaners, and AM/FM digital tuners. It is a water-based cell with a cadmium anode and
a highly oxidized nickel cathode that is usually described as the nickel(III) oxo-hydroxide, NiO(OH).
This is a “jelly-roll” design and allows the NiCd cell to deliver much more current than a similar-sized
alkaline battery.
The Nickel–Cadmium (NiCad) Battery, a Rechargeable Battery.
A variation on the NiCd battery is the nickel–metal hydride battery (NiMH) used in hybrid automobiles,
wireless communication devices, and mobile computing.
 Lead–Acid (Lead Storage) Battery

The lead–acid battery is used to provide the starting power in virtually every automobile and
marine engine on the market. Marine and car batteries typically consist of multiple cells connected in
series.

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One Cell of a Lead–Acid Battery.
An introduction to Fuel Cells (GCSE Chemistry)

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1

There are basically to types of cells used for electrochemical conversion:

1.6.1. Electrochemical energy storage

Common forms for electrochemical storage and conversion

Chemistry for Engineers

 Leclanché Dry Cell

Photo courtesy of Mitchclanky2008, www.flickr.com/photos

Button batteries. Photo courtesy of Gerhard H Wrodnigg,

Chemistry for Engineers

Differences between Primary and secondary batteries:

 Nickel–Cadmium (NiCd) Battery

The Nickel–Cadmium (NiCad) Battery, a Rechargeable Battery.

 Lead–Acid (Lead Storage) Battery

Chemistry for Engineers

One Cell of a Lead–Acid Battery.

An introduction to Fuel Cells (GCSE Chemistry)

Chemistry for Engineers

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