Primary batteries mercuric oxide cells

A third primary dry cell is the zinc-mercuric oxide cell depicted in Figure 17.7. It is commonly given the shape of a small button and is used in automatic cameras, hearing aids, digital calculators, and quartz-electric watches. This battery has an anode that is a mixture of mercury and zinc and a steel cathode in contact with solid mercury(II) oxide (HgO). The electrolyte is a 45% KOH solution that saturates an absorbent material. The anode half-reaction is the same as that in an alkaline dry cell,... 

Batteries. Many batteries intended for household use contain mercury or mercury compounds. In the form of red mercuric oxide [21908-53-2] mercury is the cathode material in the mercury—cadmium, mercury—indium—bismuth, and mercury—zinc batteries. In all other mercury batteries, the mercury is amalgamated with the zinc [7440-66-6] anode to deter corrosion and inhibit hydrogen build-up that can cause cell mpture and fire. Discarded batteries represent a primary source of mercury for release into the environment. This industry has been under intense pressure to reduce the amounts of mercury in batteries. Although battery sales have increased greatly, the battery industry has aimounced that reduction in mercury content of batteries has been made and further reductions are expected (3). In fact, by 1992, the battery industry had lowered the mercury content of batteries to 0.025 wt % (3). Use of mercury in film pack batteries for instant cameras was reportedly discontinued in 1988 (3). 

The primary objective of miniature battery design is to maximize the energy density in a small container. A compromise must be reached, however, since volumetric energy density decreases as cell volume decreases and the dead volume due to containers, seals, etc. becomes increasingly significant. A plot of energy density as a function of total volume is given in Fig. 3.28 for the zinc-mercuric oxide and zinc-silver oxide systems. 

Ruben cell — This is a zinc-mercuric oxide alkaline cell, more commonly called a mercury -> battery, a type of primary (nonrechargeable) cell, developed by Samuel Ruben during World War II in response to a requirement for batteries with a high capacity-to-volume ratio which would withstand storage under tropical conditions. It was licensed to the RR. Mallory Co., which... 

The more familiar types of primary alkaline systems are the zinc/manganese dioxide, zinc/ mercuric oxide, and zinc/silver oxide batteries. These, typically, use potassium or sodium hydroxides, in concentrations from 25 to 40% hy weight, as the electrolyte, which functions primarily as an ionic conductor and is not consumed in the discharge process. In simple form, the overall discharge reaction for these metal oxide cells can be stated as... 

The performance advantages of several types of lithium batteries compared with conventional primary and secondary batteries, are shown in Secs. 6.4 and 7.3. The advantage of the lithium cell is shown graphically in Figs. 7.2 to 7.9, which compare the performance of the various primary cells. Only the zinc/air, zinc/mercuric oxide, and zinc/silver oxide cells, which are noted for their high energy density, approach the capability of the lithium systems at 20°C. The zinc/air cell, however, is very sensitive to atmospheric conditions the others do not compare as favorably on a specific energy basis nor at lower temperatures. 

---