Battery charge/discharge

Some authors used to define the cathode as the electrode, to which electrons in the outer circuit flow and become transferred to the electrolyte. This gives rise to confusion, as the electrodes will change names each time the current is reversed (battery charge/discharge or electricity/fuel production in the case of fuel cells). 

IndiAdual cells are usually precycled before assembling into batteries. Tliese early charge—discharge cycles, often called fomiation cycles, improv e the capacity of the cell by increasing the surface area of the active material and effecting cry stal structure changes. 

Electrochemistry and Kinetics. The electrochemistry of the nickel—iron battery and the crystal stmctures of the active materials depends on the method of preparation of the material, degree of discharge, the age (Life cycle), concentration of electrolyte, and type and degree of additives, particularly the presence of lithium and cobalt. A simplified equation representing the charge—discharge cycle can be given as ... 

PIa.tes, Plates are the part of the cell that ultimately become the battery electrodes. The plates consist of an electrically conductive grid pasted with a lead oxide—lead sulfate paste which is the precursor to the electrode active materials which participate in the electrochemical charge—discharge reactions. 

Cd(OH)2 is much more basic than Zn(OH)2 and is soluble ia 5 NaOH at 1.3 g/L as the anionic complex tetrahydroxocadmate [26214-93-7] Cd(OH) 4. Technical-grade Cd(OH)2 sold for 74/kg ia 1991 and its most important utihty is as the active anode ia rechargeable Ni—Cd and Ag—Cd storage batteries. The chemical reaction responsible for the charge—discharge of the batteries is (35) ... 

Figure 10. Charge-discharge cycle characteristics of an Ni-Cd battery (cell type 1200SC).

Figure 20 shows the charge-discharge characteristics of the AA-size nickel-metal hydride battery in comparison with the nickel-cadmium battery produced by Sanyo Electric. Its capacity density is 1.5 to 1.8 higher than that of nickel-cadmium batteries. 

Charge-discharge capacity/mAh Figure 20. Charge-discharge characteristics of an Ni—MH battery (cell type AA). 

One of the most important factors determining whether or not secondary lithium metal batteries become commercially viable is battery safety, which is affected many factors insufficient information is available about safety of practical secondary lithium metal batteries [91]. Vanadium compounds dissolve electrochemi-cally and are deposited on the lithium anode during charge-discharge cycle. The... 

In the lead-acid battery, sulfuric acid has to be considered as an additional component of the charge-discharge reactions. Its equilibrium constant influences the solubility of Pb2+ and so the potential of the positive and negative electrodes. Furthermore, basic sulfates exist as intermediate products in the pH range where Fig. 1 shows only PbO (cf. corresponding Pour-baix diagrams in Ref. [5], p. 37, or in Ref. [11] the latter is cited in Ref. [8]). Table 2 shows the various compounds. 

Figure 2. Reactions that occur in lead-acid batteries versus electrode potential (thermodynamic situation). Their equilibrium potentials are inserted as boxed numbers. Equilibrium potentials of the charge-discharge reactions (Pb/PbS04 and PhS04/Pb02) are represented by hatched columns, to indicate their dependence on acid concentration. The inserted equilibrium potentials (-0.32 and +l. 75 V) of the charge discharge reactions correspond to an acid density of 1.23 gem 3.

The charge-discharge process can be repeated quite often, since the decisive parameters, solubility and dissolution rate of the various compounds, are well matched in the lead-acid battery system. The chemical conversions occur close to each other, and most of the material transport takes place in the micrometer range. Nevertheless, a gradual disintegration of the active material is observed. 

Figure 6. Concentration of the complexing cations MEP1 (A) and MEM1 (0) in the complex electrolyte phase during one total charge-discharge cycle of a model zinc-flow battery. Taken from Ref. [90],...

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