Battery Power/Alkaline Batteries

Alkaline batteries are a type of primary batteries. The alkaline battery gets its name because it has an alkaline electrolyte of potassium hydroxide, instead of the acidic ammonium chloride or zinc chloride electrolyte of the zinc-carbon batteries.

Rechargeable alkaline battery

History

The alkaline dry battery was invented by Lewis Urry in 1957.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Alkaline batteries have longer shelf life than other batteries of the chloride type electrolyte batteries.
• They have a much higher energy density compared with other batteries. This allows the battery to produce the same energy while lasting longer than other batteries.
• The rechargeable alkaline battery can be used hundreds of time if recharging is done after the battery has been used to only 25 percent of its capacity.
• Costs of an alkaline battery are much lower than the other more sophisticated ones containing nickel and cadmium.
• Alkaline batteries can be disposed off as normal waste and do not require any special disposal techniques.
• Alkaline batteries function well even at very low temperatures.
• Alkaline batteries can be stored at room temperature for two years and retain 90 percent of their original capacities.

Disadvantages

• Alkaline batteries are bulkier than other lithium batteries which give much higher energy.
• Alkaline batteries have a high internal resistance. This reduces the output.
• A defective battery charger can cause the alkaline batteries to explode.
• Alkaline batteries kept in devices that are not used for a long time, can leak and thus completely ruin the device itself because of the corrosive nature of the leaked material.

Safety concerns

• Potassium hydroxide is contained within the cells of alkaline batteries. The potassium hydroxide can leak out of the battery cell if they are damaged or mishandled, causing severe chemical burns if the substance comes into contact with your skin or eyes.