Zinc Chloride Battery

Introduction

Over the last 100 years, zinc-carbon batteries have been popularly used around the world. This primary Zinc-Carbon battery is of two types, such as the Leclanché battery and the Zinc chloride battery.

In 1866, George Lionel Leclanché invented the Zinc-Carbon battery. This was the first battery in which Ammonium chloride, a low-corrosive electrolyte, was used. Previously, strong mineral acids were employed as an electrolyte in the battery system.

Later, in the 1960s, a Zinc chloride battery was developed. This became a popular version of the Zinc Carbon battery, in which ZnCl₂is used as an electrolyte instead of Ammonium chloride. This battery was developed as an improved substitute for the Leclanché battery. This provides better performance in heavy-drain applications and less cell leakage.

A Zinc chloride dry cell (Heavy duty) consists of:

Anode: Zinc

Cathode: Manganese dioxide

Electrolyte: Zinc chloride

A Zinc chloride battery contains only Zinc dichloride paste as an electrolyte. This battery provides more current, voltage, and life than a general-purpose Zinc-Carbon battery. Electrolytic Manganese dioxide is added to natural ore Manganese dioxide in the cathode for industrial heavy-duty applications. These batteries compete in cost with heavy-duty Leclanché batteries.

Benefits

In terms of manufacturing cost, Zinc dichloride is slightly more expensive due to the use of pure materials. The cost-benefit ratio depends on the type of device where the batteries are used. In need of high performance, Extra- or super-heavy-duty Zinc dichloride batteries are employed, even at the cost of high expenditure. It performs well at low temperatures, which is not possible in Leclanché cell.

Uses

Zinc dichloride batteries are used in common household items such as portable radios, toys, remote controls for televisions, clocks, flashlights, and smoke detectors.

Advantages of Zinc chloride dry cells:

• Higher energy density.
• High efficiency under heavy discharge conditions.
• Better low-temperature performance.
• Smaller leakage resistance.

Disadvantages of Zinc chloride dry cells:

• Storage behaviour.
• Dry out faster (use up water molecules by producing zinc oxychloride).
• Higher costs.