Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

General Luna, corner Muralla St,

Intramuros, Manila
S.Y. 2022-2023

Chemistry For Engineers

(LAB)

Submitted by:

Group 5
Abueva, Kirvie Ryan A.
Espineli, Reynald
Fernando, Erika
Ilagan, Carl Andrei
Mallari, Kyla Mae
Nagpal, Jaichand
Pascual, Racelito

Submitted to:
Ms. Jane Cathleen B. Gabunada

Date: 11/26/22
Electrochemistry: Construction of an Aluminum-Air Battery:
For more information you may use the reference link below:
https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/aluminum-air-battery

Objectives:

 To construct an aluminum-air battery from common household items.

 To apply the aluminum air battery to light an LED bulb.

I.

Abstract:

During this experiment, we will be constructing an aluminum-air battery to light an

LED bulb using common household items. This battery works by oxidizing aluminum at
the anode and reducing oxygen at the cathode to create a galvanic cell Because the cell
ingredients are consumed, this is also known as a primary cell. It also cannot be
recharged. Aluminum hydroxide is formed after the aluminum is completely reacted.
Copper or graphite as current collectors but are not consumed in the reaction Carbon
can also act as a catalyst and activated charcoal significantly increases the surface area
on which the reactions can take place. The seawater. The electrolyte transports charge
and serves as a medium for the reaction. The rate of reaction can be increased by
adding more hydroxide ions with washing soda or caustic soda.

II.

Introduction:

To understand the experiment, we will first go over the basic electrochemistry

that is taking place. The coupling of electric current with chemical reactions is known
as electrochemistry. There are two types of electrochemical reactions: spontaneous
and non-spontaneous. Spontaneous electrochemical reactions, also known as
galvanic cells, are the reactions that we harness in primary (non-rechargeable)
batteries such as Al/air, which are energy conversion devices. Electrolytic cells are
non-spontaneous electrochemical reactions. Secondary (rechargeable) batteries, such
as Li-ion, use both galvanic and electrolytic electrochemical reactions to store energy.
Aluminum-air batteries (Al-air batteries) generate electricity by combining oxygen in
the air with aluminum. They have one of the highest energy densities of any battery,
but they are not widely used due to issues with high anode costs and byproduct
removal when traditional electrolytes are used. Batteries are devices that convert
chemical energy into electrical energy. They have two electrodes, known as a cathode
and an anode, where chemical reactions that use or produce electrons occur. An
electrolyte solution connects the electrodes, allowing ions to move and completing an
electrical circuit. The salt provides ions that can move through the foil and transfer
charge in this activity.
III:

Methodology:
IV:
Data and Results:

Data and Results

A. Construction of Dry Cell

Anode: Oxidation Half-Reaction:

Cu^2++2e = Cu Al= Al3 ++ 3e^-
Cathode: Reduction Half-Reaction:
Al= Al3 + 3e^3 Cu^2 ++ 2e=Cu
E°Cell: Balanced Chemical Equation:
- 2.00 V 2Al + 3Cu2 = 2Al+

B. Application of Dry Cell to LED

No. Of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Plastic
Cups
Voltag .4 V .8 V 1V 1.2 V 1.6 V 2.0 V 2.3 V
e
Curren 1 MA 1 MA 1 MA 1 MA 1 MA 1 MA 1 MA
t
1. How many plastic cups are needed to light the LED bulb?

- We need six plastic cups to light the LED bulb.

2. Describe what happens at each electrode. Are there any visible changes that you, see?

-  The oxidation effect occurs in copper, whereas the aluminum folded into four may
have damaged its configuration as the chemical energy is transformed into electrical
energy.
V:

Discussion:

1. Cite other substances that can be used as an electrolyte in this experiment aside from NaCl.

Aside from NaCl (Sodium Chloride), other substances that can be used in this experiment
include potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, all of which are electrolytes. In
solution or melt, these substances dissociate into ions, which gain the ability to conduct
electricity.

2. Does copper participate in cell chemistry? If yes, how?

Yes, Copper is a trace element, important for the function of many cellular enzymes.
Copper ions can adopt distinct redox states oxidized Cu (II) or reduced (I), allowing the metal to
play a pivotal role in cell physiology as a catalytic cofactor in the redox chemistry of enzymes,
mitochondrial respiration, iron absorption, free radical scavenging, and elastin cross-linking. If
present in excess, free copper ions can cause damage to cellular components and a delicate
balance between the uptake and efflux of copper ions determines the amount of cellular copper.
In biological systems, copper homeostasis has been characterized at the molecular level. It is
coordinated by several proteins such as glutathione, metallothionein, Cu-transporting P-type
ATPases, Menkes, and Wilson proteins, and by cytoplasmic transport, proteins called copper
chaperones to ensure that it is delivered to specific subcellular compartments and thereby to
copper-requiring proteins.

3. Explain what happens when the following changes are made in the setup:

a. The copper wire comes in contact with the folded aluminum foil - When the copper
wire comes in contact with the folded aluminum there will be a tug-of-war for electrons
occurring between the two electrodes, resulting in a potential difference, or voltage. - The
potential difference causes electrons lost by the atoms in the aluminum electrode to travel
through the LED to the copper electrode, and this flow of electrons is the electric current that
lights the LED. https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/saltwater-pentacell

b. Another folded aluminum foil was used to replace the copper wire - If another folded
aluminum foil was used to replace the copper wire, both aluminum foils would become
positively charged. As a result, nothing will happen. - If two positive charges interact, their
forces are directed against each other. This creates a repellent force as shown in the illustration.
(The same occurs with two negative charges because their respective forces also act in opposite
directions.) https://incois.gov.in/Tutor/science+society/lectures/illustrations/lecture27/efield.html

c. The number of plastic cups increased - In our experiment, each cup and its electrodes
constitute one saltwater cell. As a result, as the number of plastic cups increases, so does the
amount of voltage produced; in other words, adding more cups boosts the probability of lighting
an LED.

d. The amount of NaCl was increased - Adding NaCl (Salt) to water and stirring it will
result in the formation of an electrolyte solution, which is a liquid that can conduct electricity. As
a result, as the concentration of NaCl increases, so does the conductivity of electricity.
https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/saltwater-pentacell

e. Vinegar was added to the saltwater cell - Adding a squirt of vinegar to the saltwater
cell will make the LED glow brighter. As a result, a cell made entirely of vinegar water (acetic
acid) will function perfectly because the H+ and acetate- ions produced by the weak acid's
dissociation make the solution conductive.

VI:

Conclusion:

We concluded from the experiment that sodium chloride (NaCl) or salt can produce ions
known as electrolytes, which are effective electrical conductors. With this, we constructed an
Aluminium air battery from common household items. The conductivity of water in aqueous
solutions measures its ability to carry an electric current. Because sodium chloride combined
with water is salty and contains 60 to 100 times more ions than just water, the electrical potential
or voltage between the two electrodes is increased. As a result, much more electricity could be
obtained. When sodium chloride dissolves in water, chlorine and sodium atoms separate due to
the action of the water molecules. They can freely move in the water as positively and negatively
charged ions. This electrostatic repulsion is responsible for the mixture's ability to conduct
electricity.

Because sodium chloride lacks a metallurgical component with an electron shell to

conduct electricity, it cannot conduct electricity when it is solid. It is a solid substance with high
resistance and no conductivity. When sodium chloride is dissolved in water, it converts non-
conducting water into a conducting solution, giving rise to the notion that sodium chloride is a
conductor. When salt dissolves in water, the free Na and Cl ions in the water allow it to conduct
electricity. As a result, neither salt nor water is a good electrical conductor. When they are
combined, however, they produce a highly conductive solution.

We lit the LED light when we used 6 cups of sodium chloride due to our data giving 0.3
– 0.5 volts per cup.

Recommendation:

We recommend using all the materials that you have gathered since you can only light
the LED bulb when you have 5-7 cups of salt water. We would like to also recommend grouping
up with other groups if your materials are limited. We would recommend doing use of different
metals and solutions for a better understanding of this lesson.

VII:

References:
Stanford researchers use river water and salty ocean water to generate electricity. Stanford
researchers use river water and salty ocean water to generate electricity | Stanford News
Release. (2011, March 28). Retrieved November 25, 2022, from
https://news.stanford.edu/pr/2011/pr-saline-battery-energy-032811.html#:~:text=Because
%20seawater%20is%20salty%2C%20containing,used%20to%20charge%20the
%20battery.

Tapiero, H., Townsend, D., & Tew, K. (n.d.). Trace elements in human physiology and
pathology. Copper. PubMed Central (PMC). Retrieved November 25, 2022, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6361146/

saltwater supplement. (n.d.). Saltwater Supplement. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from
http://www.exo.net/~pauld/saltwater/#vinegar

Saltwater Pentacell. (2017, November 28). Exploratorium. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from
https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/saltwater-pentacell

Science, civilization and society. (n.d.). Science, Civilization and Society. Retrieved November
25, 2022, from https://incois.gov.in/Tutor/science+society/lectures/illustrations/lecture27/
efield.html

Aluminum-Air Battery. (2015, February 27). Exploratorium. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from
https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/aluminum-air-battery

Aluminium–air battery - Wikipedia. (2014, April 28). Aluminium–air Battery - Wikipedia.

Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium
%E2%80%93air_battery?
fbclid=IwAR1aVssVabv70nnLRu8Kts39u5CAn6slYIffmoVQdF8Nsqsurh0RJM-nZFY