Grove-Bunsen cell

Bunsen cell - Bunsen replaced the platinum electrode in the -> Grove cell by a - carbon electrode [i]. The Bunsen battery contained a zinc electrode in sulfuric acid and a carbon electrode in nitric acid. The two electrode compartments were separated by a ceramic pot. Bunsen discovered a way to carbonize a mixture of powdered coke and hard coal by strong heating thus foreshadowing the later used graphitizing process [ii, iii]. 

Platinum in the Grove cell had been replaced by gas carbon by J. T. Cooper in London. Bunsen used carbon prepared by heating a powdered mixture of coal and coke he tried potassium chlorate or dichromate as a depolariser, but found concentrated nitric acid best. At first he used a carbon cylinder soaked in concentrated nitric acid and put into dilute sulphuric acid containing amalgamated zinc, but he soon used a porous clay pot containing a zinc cylinder in dilute sulphuric acid, outside of which was a carbon cylinder in concentrated nitric acid. In later forms, the nitric acid and a carbon plate were inside the porous pot and a zinc cylinder and dilute sulphuric acid outside it. Batteries of Bunsen cells were used to operate arc lanterns, and since they emitted copious fumes of nitrogen dioxide they were usually put out of doors. 

A wet cell battery has a liquid electrolyte. It is also called as flooded cell, since the liquid covers all internal parts. Wet cells were a precursor to dry cells and are commonly used as a tool for electrochemistry. A particular type of wet cell known as a concentration cell is important in imderstanding corrosion. Wet cells may be primary or secondary cells. Some other primary wet cells are the Leclanche cell. Grove cell, Bunsen cell, chromic acid cell, etc. Wet cells are used in automobile batteries and telecommunication. 

In order to circumvent the limited possibilities of the original Volta pile, the following period saw the development of other battery systems in which special oxidizers were introduced. In 1836, J. F. Daniell (1796-1845) developed a cell with an oxidizer in the form of copper ions in a copper sulfate solution. Cells with the use of nitric acid as oxidizer were developed in 1838 by W. R. Grove (1811-1896) and in 1841 by R. Bunsen (1811-1899). Cells containing sodium bichromate dissolved in sulfuric acid were developed in 1843 by Ch. Poggendorff (1824-1876) and in 1856 by Grenet. 

One of the most popular cells in the beginning of the 19th century was the so-called Grove element with nitric acid as electrolyte. Bunsen improved the Grove element by introducing a carbon rod instead of a platinum rod (1841). 

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