The Nickel-Cadmium Battery

Here we draw attention to the special way the discharge rate is defined for batteries in the literature. Thus, a discharge rate of 5C means that the cell is discharged in 1/5 h, while a rate of O.IC indicates that it is discharged in 1/0.1 h. Full discharge is defined as the charge measured at 1C. This is somewhat arbitrary, but nevertheless quite useful as a point of reference. 

7) This again is an oversimplification. The cadmium anode may contain a few percent eadi of iron, nickel and graphite. The NiO(OH) cathode may contain some Co and also graphite. The electrolyte is 25-30% KOH but some LiOH may be added to increase the conductivity of the electrolyte. 

In defining the cycle life of different batteries, one should be careful to state how the test was performed. Charging back and forth from 10% to 90% may be a reasonable choice, but for a particular case that test may not be relevant For example, a lead-acid battery in a car may be charged most of the time, with occasional heavy use (when the car is started), so that its cycles could be from 95%to 75%. In comparison, a Ni-Cd cell in a camera may be used typically until it is almost totally discharged, representing cycles of 5% to 95%. 

The worst drawback of the Ni-Cd battery is its cost, but progress has been made in recent years and Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries are gradually replacing Leclanche cells and alkaline Zn-Mn02 primary batteries in many simple applications, such as mechanical toys and flashlights. 

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In 1988, cadmium metal production in the United States increased significantly and imports decreased, but exports increased. Dramatic increases in cadmium prices in 1988 were attributed to the tight supply of cadmium worldwide, heavy speculative trading, and the large quantities of cadmium being purchased by the nickel—cadmium battery industry, particularly in Japan. About 30 countries are cadmium producers, led by Russia, Japan, the United States, Canada, Belgium, Germany, and Mexico, which cumulatively represented 64% of the 1988 reported world cadmium production of 19,773 metric tons. 

The nickel-cadmium battery [6] has a positive electrode made of nickel hydrox-... 

The nickel-cadmium battery was invented by Jungner in 1899. The battery used nickel hydroxide for the positive electrode, cadmium hydroxide for the negative electrode, and an alkaline solution for the electrolyte. Jungner s nickel-cadmium battery has undergone various forms of the development using improved materials and manufacturing processes to achieve a superior level of performance. 

Figure 20 shows the charge-discharge characteristics of the AA-size nickel-metal hydride battery in comparison with the nickel-cadmium battery produced by Sanyo Electric. Its capacity density is 1.5 to 1.8 higher than that of nickel-cadmium batteries. 

The nickel-cadmium battery is another common battery that can be recharged. As described in Example, nickel and cadmium are the working substances in this battery ... 

In 1899, the nickel-cadmium battery, the first alkaline battery, was invented by a Swedish scientist named Waldmar Jungner. The special feature of this battery was its potential to be recharged. In construction, nickel and cadmium electrodes in a potassium hydroxide solution, it was the first battery to use an alkaline electrolyte. This battery was commercialized in Sweden in 1910 and reached the Unites States in 1946. The first models were robust and had significantly better energy density than lead-acid batteries, but nevertheless, their wide use was limited because of the high costs. 

Subcategory A encompasses the manufacture of all batteries in which cadmium is the reactive anode material. Cadmium anode batteries currently manufactured are based on nickel-cadmium, silver-cadmium, and mercury-cadmium couples (Table 32.1). The manufacture of cadmium anode batteries uses various raw materials, which comprises cadmium or cadmium salts (mainly nitrates and oxides) to produce cell cathodes nickel powder and either nickel or nickel-plated steel screen to make the electrode support structures nylon and polypropylene, for use in manufacturing the cell separators and either sodium or potassium hydroxide, for use as process chemicals and as the cell electrolyte. Cobalt salts may be added to some electrodes. Batteries of this subcategory are predominantly rechargeable and find application in calculators, cell phones, laptops, and other portable electronic devices, in addition to a variety of industrial applications.1-4 A typical example is the nickel-cadmium battery described below. 

Manufacturers and researchers have attempted to power electric cars with rechargeable batteries, such as modified lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries. However, rechargeable batteries run down fairly quickly. The distance driven before recharging a battery may be 250 km or less. The battery must then be recharged from an external electrical source. Recharging the lead-acid battery of an electric car takes several hours. Cars based on a version of the nickel-cadmium battery can be recharged in only fifteen minutes. However, recharging the batteries of an electric car is still inconvenient. 

A metal hydride battery similar to the nickel-cadmium battery has been developed by Sharp corporation. The battery is shaped in the form of a button of 20 mm diameter and can give 1.2 V. The anode in the battery is made of La-Ni-Sn alloy hydride, and the cathode is nickel oxide. Potassium hydroxide solution in polyamide-resin is the electrolyte. The battery exhibits high energy density (i.e.) 1.5 to 2.0 times that of the Ni-Cd battery, good cycling life and superior low temperature behaviours. 

An especially important type of dry cell is the nickel-cadmium battery, in which the electrode reactions are as follows ... 

The nickel-cadmium battery consists of a Cd anode and an NiOOH... 

The nickel-cadmium battery is the most popular alkaline secondary battery. The cell and its reaction are ... 

Although the rechargeable alkaline Zn-Mn02 batteries are not performance-competitive with the nickel-cadmium batteries [15], they are midway between a... 

Consumer use of rechargeable batteries is growing. Nickel-cadmium batteries, a common type of rechargeable battery, are used in cellular phones, electric shavers, and portable video-game systems. Make a list of the items with which you come into contact that use nickel-cadmium batteries or other rechargeable batteries. Write a short essay about technology that was not and could not have been available before the development of the nickel-cadmium battery. 

In 1899, Waldmar Jungner (Sweden) invented the nickel-cadmium battery (Ni/Cd) [6]. The battery used nickel for the cathode, cadmium for the anode, and an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide for the electrolyte. The applications of these batteries were limited because of the high cost of the materials compared to other battery systems (lead acid). In 1901, Edison (USA) modified the design of the battery by replacing the anode material with iron [7]. This design is known as the... 

Rechargeable batteries have become an essential part of our environmentally conscientious society. The nickel-cadmium cell battery is a rechargeable battery used in small electronic devices. The half reactions that take place in the nickel-cadmium battery during discharge are ... 

What is the oxidizing agent in the nickel cadmium battery during discharge ... 

Which of the following is true concerning the nickel-cadmium battery when it is recharging ... 

In order to recharge the nickel-cadmium battery back to standard conditions, what is the minimum voltage that must be applied across its electrodes ... 

The reaction taking place at the anode when the nickel-cadmium batteries are discharging is ... 

When the nickel-cadmium battery is recharging, what is the reaction at the anode ... 

The nickel-cadmium battery is used to power a light bulb. 

Most of the nickel-cadmium batteries that are used in electric cars today power the car for only 50 to 100 miles before they run down and need to be recharged, a process that takes many hours. In Randers, Denmark, special parking spaces with electric hookups are available for battery-operated cars. 

Of course, one of the most common uses for nickel is coinmaking, specifically, the five-cent coin. The nickel coin is an alloy made of copper and nickel. Another important and common use for this metal is the nickel-cadmium battery, which contains a nickel-oxide electrode. This battery is rechargeable, making it ideal for calculators, computers, and other small electrical appliances. 

The nickel-cadmium battery (Ni-Cd) is the most common battery used in communication satellites, in Earth orbiters, and in space probes. The chemical reactions are ... 

Ever since the nickel-cadmium battery came into existence, experts have been studying ways to recycle it. The first really widely-used batteries were of the open type. Their recovery at the end of their life was due to the ease with which they could be opened and the positive electrodes isolated so as to re-use the nickel. 

The situation of the nickel-cadmium battery manufacturers is different they are rarely involved in the treatment of the waste they produce or of their customers spent batteries, except for NIFE in Sweden and ENERGIZER in Florida, USA (which has a small unit basically designed to treat manufacturing dust and sludge from the wastewater treatment system). However, they provided the economic means for both the start-up and the growth of the main recycling companies currently in operation. 

SECTION 20.7 A battery is a self-contained electrochemical power source that contains one or more voltaic cells. Batteries are based on a variety of different redox reactions. Several common batteries were discussed. The lead-acid battery, the nickel-cadmium battery, the nickel-metal-hydride battery, and the lithium-ion battery are examples of rechargeable batteries. The common alkaline dry cell is not rechargeable. Fuel cells are voltaic cells that utilize redox reactions in which reactants such as H2 have to be continuously supplied to the cell to generate voltage. 

The cell voltage is 1.3 V. Eqs. (9.23) and (9.24) are formal equations the exact processes in the nickel-cadmium battery are complex solid-state reactions. More details and other types of batteries are described in special Uterature. ... 

The procedure developed by Tanaka Chemical Co. is in the forefront of these methods. This company occupies almost a monopoly position as a supplier of cathode materials for the nickel-cadmium battery and the nickel-metal hydride battery. Metal hydroxides have been prepared via an amine complex. Spherical material is produced by adjusting the pH of the aqueous solution, the aging temperature, and the introduction rate of the reactant. This technology is applied to the cathode material of lithium-ion batteries and has been patented. Since precipitates with homogeneous distribution of various elements can be obtained using the co-precipitation technique. 

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