Performance zinc/alkaline/manganese dioxide battery

Increases in the energy density of primary hatteries has tapered off during the past decade as the existing battery systems have matured and the development of new higher energy batteries is limited by the lack of new and/or untried battery materials and chemistries. Nevertheless, advances have been made in other important performance characteristics, such as power density, shelf life and safety. Examples of these recent developments are the high power zinc/alkaline/manganese dioxide batteries for portable consumer electronics, the improvement of the zinc/air battery and the introduction of new lithium batteries. 

Li/FeS2 batteries are now manufactured in a cylindrical configuration. These batteries have better high-drain and low-temperature performance than the zinc/alkaline-manganese dioxide batteries. The performance of these two systems on constant-current discharge at various discharge rates, in the AA size, is compared in Fig. 14.76. 

FIGURE 36.1 Performance of rechargeable zinc/alkaline-manganese dioxide battery on cycling at 20 C recharging after each discharge. (Courtesy of Battery Technologies, Inc.)... 

During this period, the zinc/alkaline manganese dioxide batery began to replace the zinc-carbon or Leclanche battery as the leading primary battery, capturing the major share of the US market. Environmental concerns led to the elimination of mercury in most batteries without any impairment of performance, but also led to the phasing out of those batteries. 

FIGURE 10.23 Performance characteristics of premium zinc/alkaline/manganese dioxide primary batteries AA-size (a) Discharge characteristics at various current drains to specified end voltages, (b) Discharge characteristics at various resistance drains to specified end voltages. 

Li/FeS 1.5 Replacement for conventional zinc-carbon and alkaline-manganese dioxide batteries higher power capability than conventional batteries and better low-temperature performance and storability. Currently available in AA size as a direct replacement for alkaline-manganese... 

FIGURE 36.11 Comparison of 20°C performance of rechargeable zinc/alkaline /manganese dioxide D-size battery (curve 1) to output of four AA-cells connected in parallel (in D-size can) to 0.9 V end-voltage (curve 2). (Courtesy of Battery... 

FIGURE 38.18 Comparison of performance of hybrid lantern battery with zinc-carbon and alkaline-manganese dioxide battery. Curve a—air-alkaUne curve b—alkaline-MnOj curve c—heavy-duty zinc-carbon. (Courtesy of Celair Corp.)... 

From the 1960s onward, alkaline zinc-manganese dioxide batteries started to be produced. They have appreciably better electrical performance parameters (see Section 19.4.3) but do not differ from Leclanche batteries in their operating features, are produced in identical sizes, and can be used interchangeably with them. Thus, a gradual changeover occurred and phaseout of the older system is now almost complete. 

TABLE 7.6 Comparison of Battery Performance and Cost—Zinc-Carbon vs. Alkaline Manganese Dioxide AA-size Batteries... 

FIGURE 10.5 Performance comparison of D-size alkaline-manganese dioxide and zinc-carbon batteries, a) Typical light drain test (30 mA continuous test at 20°C). b) Typical heavy drain test (500 mA continuous test at 20°C). Courtesy of Eveready Battery Company.)... 

Figure 5. Performance of D-size zinc-manganese dioxide primary systems under 2.25 Q continuous test a) standard Leclanche cell (natural ore), b) high-power Leclanche cell (electrolytic MnOa), c) zinc chloride cell, d) alkaline manganese cell [1] (by permission of Arnold C.A. Vincent, B. Scrosati, Modern Batteries. An Introduction to Electrochemical Power Sources, 2nd edition, Edward Arnold, London, 1997).

The alkaline zinc-manganese dioxide ceU was introduced in 1959 as a high-performance primary cell to replace the Leclanche (carbon-zinc) cell that was developed by Georges Leclanche in 1860 and is still the battery of choice in the developing countries because of its low cost. The zinc chloride cell was introduced... 

Alkaline (zinc-manganese dioxide - Zn/ Mn02) Most popular general purpose battery with good low-temperature performance, medium rate capability, and low cost. Also found in many sizes Many types of electronic instruments as well as toys and mechanical devices of all types... 

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