Unit 1-Battery Technology
Unit 1-Battery Technology
ENGINEERS
CHM 1072
Unit 1
Battery
Technology
Introduction:
Diverse Applications:
Global Industry:
Requirements:
• Compact, lightweight, and made from readily available
materials.
• Economical and environmentally benign.
• High energy density and longer shelf life.
• Provide constant voltage and long discharge periods.
2. Secondary Batteries:
• Rechargeable cells that can be used through multiple
discharge and charge cycles.
• External electricity reverses the spontaneous cell reaction
during charging.
• Examples: Lead-acid batteries, Nickel-cadmium cell, Lithium-
ion battery,
Requirements:
• Long shelf-life in both charged and discharged states.
• Longer cycle life and design life.
• High power-to-weight ratio.
• Short recharge time.
• High voltage and energy density.
Batteries as Electrochemical Cells:
• Batteries store chemical energy and convert it to electrical energy.
• Electrochemical reactions release electrons and transport charged ions.
• Electrodes and electrolytes influence energy storage, operating voltage,
and battery performance.
• Each battery comprises one or more electrochemical cells.
• Cells have anodes and cathodes.
• Separators prevent internal short circuits, and current collectors transfer
electrons.
Electrodes (Anode and Cathode):
• Anode: Where electrons flow out (oxidation).
➢ Lower standard reduction potential (more negative).
➢ Desired characteristics: Low reduction/redox potential,
high specific capacity, reversibility, and good conductivity.
• Cathode: Where electrons flow in (reduction).
➢ Higher standard reduction potential (more positive).
➢ Desired characteristics: High reduction potential, high
specific capacity, reversibility, and stability.
• Cell potential (Ecell) = Ecathode - Eanode.
➢ Greater potential difference results in higher voltage.
Types of Electrolytes:
• Liquid, solid, polymer, or composite (hybrid) electrolytes.
• Selection depends on battery type.
Desirable Properties:
• High ionic conductivity.
• No electric conductivity.
• Nonreactivity with electrodes.
• Wide operating temperature range
Types of electrolytes
Traditional Liquid Electrolyte (desired properties)
• Low viscosity, high energy density.
• High charge/discharge rate.
• Operational temperature: -40°C to 60°C.
• Low flammability.
Polymeric Electrolytes:
• Solid or gel form.
• Solid: High flexibility, energy density, safety, and stability.
• Gel: High ionic conductivity, multifunctional, chemically stable.
• Solid polymeric electrolytes have low ionic conductivities at
room temperature.
• Gel polymeric electrolytes have better conductivity but poor
mechanical strength.
1. Cell Potential:
• Voltage of a battery given by:
• Cell potential=(EC−EA)−∣ηA−ηC∣−iRcell
Where Ec and EA are the electrode (reduction) potentials of cathode and
the anode respectively, ηA and ηC are the over-potentials at the anode and
the cathode respectively and iRcell (voltage drop) where the Rcell internal
resistance of electrolyte.
To maximize voltage:
o Increase difference in electrode potentials.
o Ensure fast electrode reactions to minimize overpotential.
o Minimize internal resistance.
o Design electrodes for easy depletion at anode and increase of active
mass at cathode.
2. Current:
• Measure of electron flow during discharge.
• It is the amount of charge flowing per unit time
• Expressed in amperes.
• High conductance electrolyte ensures uniform
current.
• Batteries provide direct current.
3. Capacity:
• Charge in ampere-hours (A h) obtained from the battery.
• Depends on battery size.
𝑚 ×𝑛 ×𝐹
• Determined by Faraday relation: 𝐶 =
𝑀
Where C is the capacity in A h, m is the mass of active material and M is
the molar mass,num
• Capacity measured by time (t) to reach minimum voltage (Ecellmin)
during fixed current discharge.
• Longer flat portion in discharge curve indicates better capacity.
Fig 5: Battery voltage during charging Fig 6: Battery voltage during discharging
4. Electricity Storage Density:
• Measures charge per unit mass stored in the battery.
• Includes mass of electrolyte, current collectors, terminals, and
other elements.
• Minimize mass of subsidiary elements for high storage density.
• Example: 7g of lithium vs. 65g of zinc for the same charge.
5. Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency
= (Energy released on discharge/Energy required for charging )×100%
• Depends on current efficiency, overpotentials, and internal
resistance.
• Aim for high energy efficiency.
6. Cycle Life:
• Number of charge-discharge cycles before failure (applicable to
secondary batteries).
• Regenerate active material during charging.
• Affected by corrosion, shedding, shorting, and morphology changes.
7. Shelf Life:
• Retains performance during storage under specified conditions.
• Self-discharge due to reactions or corrosion.
• Tolerance to temperature, vibration, and shock.
8.Energy Density:
• amount of energy stored in a given system or region of space per
unit volume (volumetric energy density) or per unit mass(Wh/kg
or Wh/L).
• Continuous energy density above a threshold or very high
density for short periods.
9. Power Density:
• Ratio of power available to
battery mass (W/kg) or
volume (W/L).
• High power density is
crucial for applications that
require rapid energy
delivery over short periods
EMERGING BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES
Emerging battery technologies are constantly developing to fulfil the
increasing requirements of many industries, such as consumer electronics,
EVs, renewable energy storage, and grid stability.
Below are a few noteworthy developing battery technologies:
1. Solid-State Batteries
• Replace liquid/gel electrolyte with solid
• Higher energy density and safety
• Potential to revolutionize EVs and portable devices
Solid-State Batteries
2. Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
• Higher energy density than lithium-ion
• Uses abundant, affordable sulfur
• Challenges: conductivity and polysulfide dissolution
3. Lithium-Air Batteries
• Extremely high theoretical energy density
• Lithium metal anode, oxygen from air cathode
• Issues: cycle life and anode stability
Flow Batteries
• Liquid electrolytes in external tanks
• Scalable, flexible capacity
• Research on better energy density and cost
• Eg: Vanadium redox flow batteries
Metal-Air Batteries
• Metal anode, atmospheric oxygen cathode
• High theoretical energy densities, potentially low cost
• Reversibility, efficiency, and cycle life challenges
Lead Acid Battery/Storage Battery
(Lead Accumulator or Car Battery or the acid battery)
Construction
• Lead grid electrodes maximize surface area
• Anode: spongy lead (Pb)
• Cathode: lead dioxide (PbO2)
• Electrolyte: sulfuric acid solution (H2SO4),
specific gravity ~1.25
• Separators: wood, rubber, or glass fiber
• Encasement: plastic or vulcanized rubber
• Wet cell: common electrolyte without liquid
junction
Discharging reactions
At the anode:
Pb (s) → Pb2+ (aq) + 2e-
Pb2+(aq) + SO42-(aq) → PbSO4(s)
Pb(s)+ SO42-(aq) → PbSO4 (s) + 2e-
At the cathode:
PbO2(s) + 4H+(aq) + 2e− → Pb2+(aq) + 2H2O(l)
Pb2+(aq) + SO42−(aq) → PbSO4(s)
PbO2(s) + 4H+(aq) + SO42−(aq) + 2e− → PbSO4(s) + 2H2O(l)
Recharging
• External power source reverses discharge reactions
• Lead sulfate (PbSO4) adheres to electrodes, facilitating
reversibility
• Specific gravity of H2SO4 indicates the battery’s charge level
Overcharging of Lead Acid Batteries
• Electrolysis of Water
2H2O (l) + electrical energy → 2H2(g) + O2(g)
• No gas release if lead ions present
• Hydrogen gas at cathode:
• 2H+(aq) + 2e-→ H2(g)
• Oxygen gas at anode:
• 2H2O(l) →O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4e-
• Consequences of Overcharging
• Acid level reduction, potential electrode damage
• Risk of explosion due to high-pressure build-up
• Older batteries require periodic ‘topping up’
• Maintenance-Free Batteries
• No gas-release vent, controlled gassing
• Pb-Ca alloy anode reduces water electrolysis
• Catalysts recombine gases into water, no maintenance needed
• Sealed design prevents leakage
• Applications
• Automotive Batteries: Starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) for
cars and trucks
• Industrial Batteries: Motive and standby power for heavy-duty
applications
• Consumer Batteries: Emergency lighting, security systems,
power tools, UPS
Advantages
• High Efficiency: Voltage efficiency ~80%
• Reversibility: Fast chemical reactions, high negative free energy
change
• Longevity: 300-1500 recharge cycles, up to 2000 for sealed
batteries
• Quick Recharging: Approximately 2-8 hours
• Low Self-Discharge: Maintains charge when not in use
• High Current Capability: 12 V car batteries can deliver over 10 A
Disadvantages
• Sulfation: Large PbSO4 crystals formation if left partially charged
• Weight: Low energy storage-to-weight ratio (~35 Wh/kg)
• Concentration Dependent: Cell potential drops as sulfuric acid
is consumed
• Temperature Sensitivity: Reduced efficiency at lower
temperatures
• Overcharging Risks: Potential electrode damage and explosion
• Toxicity: Environmental and health concerns with lead
• Corrosion: Lead grid corrosion at lead dioxide electrode
Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery
As electronic products have come to feature more sophisticated functions,
more compact sizes and lighter weights, the sources of power that operate
these products have been required to deliver increasingly higher levels of
energy. To meet this requirement, nickel-metal hydride batteries have been
developed.
Construction
• cathode: Nickel oxyhydroxide
• anode: Hydrogen-absorbing alloys in the form of metal hydride
• Separator: Fine fibers
• Electrolyte: Alkaline, mainly potassium hydroxide
• Case: Metal, with self-resealing safety vent
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➢ When charged, cobalt ions are oxidized and lithium ions
migrate into the graphite
➢ Because of this reason, the lithium ion batteries are
called ‘Rocking chair, ‘Swing’ cells
➢ When discharging, the battery delivers energy to the
external load and when charging it receives energy from
a d.c. power source.
➢ The electrode that acts as an anode, during discharging
becomes a cathode when its charging.
Applications:
Disadvantages
1. Poor charge retention
2. Self discharge rate is about 10% per month
3. High cost
Sodium-Ion Batteries
• Economical alternative to lithium-ion
• Abundant sodium, lower energy density
• Suitable for cost-effective stationary storage
Sodium-ion Batteries (SIBs)
• Sodium Availability
• Abundant in Earth’s crust and seawater
• Simpler, less energy-intensive extraction than lithium
• Cost-effective raw material for large-scale storage
Fuel cells do not cause noise pollution, chemical pollution & thermal
pollution normally associated with conventional power plants.
• High initial cost because of the expensive noble metals and catalysts are
required in the construction of certain fuel cells.
Fuel cells
Courtesy of Toshiba
Micro fuel cell Toshiba fuel cell with refueling cartridge
Methanol Fuel cell
Construction
• Fuel:- Methanol
• Oxidant:- Air
• Catalyst:- Platinum
• Charge-carrier:- H+
Schematic Diagram of a Methanol Fuel Cell
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Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell
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Proton exchange membrane cell
Construction
• Fuel:- Hydrogen
• Oxidant:- Air
• Catalyst:- Platinum
• Charge-carrier:- H+
Perflourinated membrane by DuPont.
F F F F F F F F F
Role of conducting membrane
C C C C C C C C C
F F F F O F F F F
1. It acts as electrolyte to provide ionic
F C F
conduction b/w anode and cathode
F C F
2. Its serve as a separator for two
O
reactant gases
F C F
F C F
O=S=O
-
O
+
H
Cathode reaction:
½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H 2O
Overall reaction:-
H2 + ½ O2 H2O