Basic Principle of Batteries

Jinwoo Lee

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST

The Future of Transportation
is Electric!
Two important industries

Electricity Transportation

Development of
battery industry 2
 The History of Batteries
(electric) Battery :
 Device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells with external
connection for power

Volta battery @ 1800 Baghdad battery @ B.C 200

Zn-Cu

3
The History of Batteries

Various types of batteries

Primary batteries
&
Secondary batteries
 The Primary Batteries
Primary batteries:
 Batteries that is designed to be used once and discarded
(not rechargeable)

1. Manganese batteries
Cathode : MnO2 , anode : Zn, electrolyte : NH4Cl & ZnCl2 aqueous solution
Composition

Zn NH4Cl MnO2
solution Eo = 1.5 V

Anode
Oxidation
Cathode
Reduction

Overall
5
Operating current is low!!
 The Primary Batteries
2. Alkaline batteries
 Electrode material is identical with Mn batteries but different electrolyte
Cathode : MnO2 , anode : Zn, electrolyte : KOH alkaline solution
(Enhanced powered batteries)

Eo = 1.5 V

Anode Zn + 2OH-  Zn(OH)2 + 2e- (oxidation)

Cathode 2MnO2 + H2O + 2e-  Mn2O3 + 2OH- (reduction)

Overall Zn + 2MnO2  H2O  Zn(OH)2 + Mn2O3

6
 The Primary Batteries
3. Hg batteries
Cathode : HgO , anode : Zn-Hg alloy, electrolyte : HgO + KOH solution

Advantage: Stable operation for long time

Eo = 1.35 V

Anode
Cathode
Overall

7
Environmental pollution !!
 Why Rechargeable Batteries ??
Energy Storage System (ESS)

Network !!

Reversibility
is
important
8 !!
Balqon Coporation
 Electrochemical cell
▶ A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy or vice
versa when a chemical reaction is occurring in the cell

• Electrochemical cell is
basically formed by
two electrodes (cathode/
anode) separated by
an electrolyte (ionic solution)

Zn(s) → Zn2+ + 2e- Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu(s)

 The Secondary Batteries
(Lithium ion batteries)
▶ Rechargeable battery types in which Li+ moves from the anode to cathode
during discharge and back when charging

e- – + e-

Electrolyte

Li+

Anode Separator Cathode

 The Secondary Batteries
(Lithium ion batteries)
▶ Cell Configuration
 The Secondary Batteries
(Lithium ion batteries)
▶ Discharging
: Converting chemical energy to electrical energy by connecting load

e- e-

graphite
Li1-xCoO2
(LixC6)
Li+

Anode Cathode
(Conventionally in the battery field, anode and cathode are named based on discharge condition)
 The Secondary Batteries
(Lithium ion batteries)
▶ Charging
: Converting external energy to chemical energy by connecting external power

graphite (C6) LiCoO2

Li+

Anode Cathode