Components, LABs batteries

Extending the life of batteries and prolonging their charge has been the subject of decades of research. With nanoparticles, researchers at Rutgers University and Bell Labs have been able to better separate the chemical components of batteries, resulting in longer battery life. With further nanoscale research, it may be possible to alter the internal composition of batteries to achieve even greater performance. 

Miniaturization of electrochemical power sources, in particular batteries and fuel cells, has been described as a critical—but missing—component in transitioning from in-lab capability to the freedom of autonomous devices and systems. - In top-down approaches, macroscopic power sources are scaled to the microlevel usually by the use of fabrication methods, often in combination with new materials. Power generation schemes that can themselves be microfabricated are particularly appealing, as they can lead to a one-stop fabrication of device/machine function with an integrated power source. 

When putting away the components until the next lab session, fold each clip lead in half, and then line them all up next to each other, in parallel, with the folded parts together at the top. Place a rubber band or short wire twist around this group of clip leads. Put the battery in a small, electrically insulating plastic or paper bag. 

The emerging use of microfluidic fuel cells and batteries for analytical applications and educational purposes is also encouraging. The low cost, fabrication flexibility, and unique visualization capabilities inherent to microfluidic cells make them well suited as instructional tools to engage students in the classroom, potentially for a wide variety of courses in the areas of energy conversion and storage, applied chemistry, and microsystems. For analytical applications, standardized units could be produced as a convenient, low-cost platform for in situ lab-scale testing and characterization of electrochemical cell components such as novel electrocatalysts, catalyst supports, and bioelectrodes. Overall, microfluidic electrochemical cells may come to serve equally important functions as analytical and educational tools in addition to commercial utility. 

The Thevenin equivalent circuit is the simplest combination, since it is the association of an ideal voltage source and a resistor connected in series. This is a much more realistic way of modeling a lead-acid battery. Indeed, the resistor illustrates the voltage drop due to the current passing through the components of the battery. In the case of LABs, this instantaneous voltage drop mainly results from the low electrical conductivity of electrolyte and is proportional to the current. But, such a simple combination does not account for the polarization of the electrodes happening later on, when the battery is operated. 

A third passive two-terminal electrical component can also be seen in the LAB electrical models the inductor. This component is connected in series to represent the battery behavior in high frequencies in order to fit EIS measurements. One has to keep in mind that such a component does not really describe the battery, but only the cables used to connect it to the load (or the charger). For EIS, the rule of thumb is approximately 10 nH per centimeter of cable. Otherwise, the self-inductance L (in nH) of a straight wire of length I, small diameter d, made of a metal having a relative permeability equal to 1 (like Cu or Al, but not Fe) can be calculated as follows [30] ... 

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