Design of Rechargeable Batteries

Designers of rechargeable batteries claim that the Al-air battery offers a very high energy density exceeding 500 Wh/kg in a dry, unactivated state over alternative... 

All of the criteria addressed for the design of primary batteries should be considered for the design of rechargeable batteries. 

Research the aluminum-air battery, and the sodium-sulfur battery. Both are rechargeable batteries that have been used to power electric cars. In each case, describe the design of the battery, the half-reactions that occur at the electrodes, and the overall cell reaction. Also, describe the advantages and disadvantages of using the battery as a power source for a car. 

Size, weight, capacity, and power density are the primary selection considerations for batteries in externally powered prosthetic design applications. The most popular types of rechargeable batteries in use in prosthetics today are nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion). Li-ion is fast becoming the chemistry of choice because of its high capacity-to-size (weight) ratio and low self-discharge characteristic. 

The capability of polypyrrole to be reversibly doped and dedoped by electrochemical methods makes this electroactive material a candidate for the construction of rechargeable batteries. A number of battery designs using conducting polymers have been described... 

Furthermore, these values are for the commercially available rechargeable batteries, which were designed, developed, and tested before 2000. Obviously, one will find further improvement in the characteristics and performance capabilities of rechargeable batteries because of rapid advances of the Ni-MH and Li batteries designed and developed after 2005. One will notice significant performance improvement, particularly in the case of Li batteries, which come in four distinct categories Li (monopolar), Li (bipolar), Li (polymer), and Li (using polymeric electrolyte). 

Table 1.4 Performance Capabilities and Critical Design Characteristics of Rechargeable Batteries...

Some battery manufacturing companies are exploring design concepts for the development of rechargeable batteries specifically for military applications. Alu... 

As with primary lithium batteries, a number of different approaches have been taken in the chemistry and design of rechargeable lithium batteries to obtain the desired performance characteristics. These are summarized in Fig. 34.1a for batteries with lithium metal negative electrodes (the anode during discharge) and in Fig. 34.1fc for batteries with other materials, such as lithium alloys and lithiated carbon. ... 

Garcia, R.E. et al. (2005) Microstmctural modeling and design of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. /. Electrochem. Soc., 152 (1), A255-A263. 

The design of a AA-size alkaline manganese dioxide cell is shown in Fig. 1 (Sec. 3.1). Primary and secondary alkaline batteries are constructed in the same way and can be manufactured on essentially the same machinery. The separator material, electrode formulation, and the Mn02 Zn balance are different. Rechargeable cells are zinc-limited to prevent a discharge beyond the first electron-equivalent of the MnOz reduction. The electrolyte is 7-9 mol L KOH. The electrode reactions are ... 

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