Batteries

A battery is a combination of cells either in series or parallel or both, in order to

get the required amount of electrical energy. It is a portable source of electrical
energy.

The galvanic cells used to form batteries can be classified as:

1. Primary cells: In these cells, the chemical energy is converted into electrical
energy as long as the chemical components are active.

2. Secondary cells: In these cells, the redox reaction that converts chemical
energy into electrical energy can be reversed by passage of current.

Engineering Chemistry (revised edition)

ISBN: 978-81-265-4475-2
Copyright©2014 Wiley India Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved
 It contains active materials which
Anode spontaneously take part in the
oxidation reactions.

It contains active materials which

Cathode spontaneously take part in the
reduction reactions.
Components of
a Battery
It helps in the migration of the ions
Electrolyte leading to the generation of
electrical energy.

It is a thin polymeric membrane

Separator which prevents the mixing of
products formed at the electrodes.

Engineering Chemistry (revised edition)

ISBN: 978-81-265-4475-2
Copyright©2014 Wiley India Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved
 Discharging and Charging of a Battery

The process in which spontaneous redox reaction occurs is called discharging.

The process of conversion of an inactive material back into active materials in a
cell is called charging.

- Always e flows from

anode to cathode.
During discharging
anode is (-) during
charging anode is (+).

Discharging Charging (Same as

(Same as Galvanic cell) Electrolytic
cell
4. Lithium-ion battery (Li-ion Battery)
Li-ion batteries are secondary batteries.

• The battery consists of a anode of Lithium-ions, into a carbon.

(Graphite)
• The cathode material is made up from Lithium liberating
compounds, typically the three electro-active oxide materials.

• Lithium Cobalt-oxide (LiCoO2 )

• Lithium Manganese-oxide (LiMn2 O4 )
• Lithium Nickel-oxide (LiNiO2)

•Electrolyte: solid lithium-salt electrolytes

(LiPF6, LiBF4, or LiClO4)
and organic solvents (ether)

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Principle

• During the charge and discharge processes, there is no so-called

oxidation reduction reaction, rather lithium ions are transported
from one electrode to other through electrolyte (Li salt in organic
solvent)

• Simply, the Li-ion is transfers from anode (Graphite) to cathode

(LiCoO2 ) through Electrolyte during discharging as a result the
electron flows through the external circuit to balance the positive
charge of Li+ .
• During charging Li-ion moves to opposite direction so the electron
also moves to opposite direction.

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 Li- ion Electrolyte

cathode Graphite anode

Li-Ion battery Principle

Lithium Ion Cells

anode cathode
anode cathode
Applications

• The Li-ion batteries are used in cameras, calculators

• They are used in cardiac pacemakers and other

implantable device

• They are used in telecommunication equipment,

instruments, portable radios and TVs, pagers

• They are used to operate laptop computers and mobile

phones and aerospace application

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Fuel Cells

The conversion of fuel into electrical energy involves a number of steps and
there is loss of energy at every step. The efficiency of the process is around 40%.
There is also a viable way of converting the chemical energy of fuel directly into
electrical energy through catalytically activated redox reactions. Such devices are
called fuel cells. Fuel cell is a galvanic cell in which the electrical energy is
directly obtained from redox reaction of the fuel.

Comparison with Conventional Galvanic Cells

1. They consist of two catalytic electrodes.

2. The reagents used are fuel and oxidant.
3. The fuel and oxidant are not stored in the cell.
4. No pollutants and hence fuel cells are environmentally friendly.
5. No toxic species are formed in a fuel cell.
6. They do not need charging.
Principle: The basic principle of the fuel cell is same as that of
electrochemical cell.

The only difference is that the fuel & oxidant are stored outside the cell.
Fuel and Oxidant are supplied continuously and separately to the
electrodes at which they undergo redox reactions.

Fuel + Oxidant  Oxidation Products + electricity

Examples of fuel cell- : 1)H2 -O2 fuel cell

2) Propane -O2 fuel cell
3) CH3OH-O2 fuel cell
Electrolyte is polymer
membrane which allows
the H+ to pass through but
not electron to pass through
 They offer high energy conversions
(almost 75%).

Advantages These cells have high energy density.

These cells use inexpensive fuels.

Fuel Cells
The electrodes used are either Pt, Ag
or the alloys of noble metal which are
prohibitively costly.
Limitations
The power generated is moderate.