The electrochemical reaction in a battery is carried out by moving electrons from one material to another (called electrodes) using an electric current. The first battery was invented in 1800 by Italian physicist Alessandro Volta.
It is defined as the maximum current that can be applied to charge the battery. This is practically a maximum of 1A/2A that can be applied if a battery protection circuit is built-in but still 500 mA is the best range for a battery charge.
While lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries are commonly used in consumer electronics and are commercialized for use in electric vehicles, scientists are exploring an array of other chemistries that may prove to be more effective, last longer, and are cheaper than those in use today.
Battery performance is thus limited by the diffusion rates of internal chemicals as well as by capacity.
The Battery Directive of the European Union has similar requirements, in addition to requiring increased recycling of batteries and promoting research on improved battery recycling methods.[83] In accordance with this directive all batteries to be sold within the EU must be marked with the "collection symbol" (a crossed-out wheeled bin).
Batteries have much lower specific energy (energy per unit mass) than common fuels such as gasoline. In automobiles, this is somewhat offset by the higher efficiency of electric motors in converting electrical energy to mechanical work, compared to combustion engines.
Benjamin Franklin first used the term "battery" in 1749 when he was doing experiments with electricity using a set of linked Leyden jar capacitors. [4] Franklin grouped a number of the jars into what he described as a "battery", using the military term for weapons functioning together.
Standard-format batteries are inserted into battery holder in the device that uses them. When a device does not uses standard-format batteries, they are typically combined into a custom battery pack which holds multiple batteries in addition to features such as a battery management system and battery isolator which ensure that the batteries within are charged and discharged evenly.
The sealed valve regulated lead–acid battery (VRLA battery) is popular in the automotive industry as a replacement for the lead–acid wet cell.
These types of batteries have a terminal voltage that drops almost to the end of the discharge during a discharge of about 1.2 volts. Although they are rarely used, they are cheap and have a much lower discharge rate than NiMH batteries.
5 volts, the same as the alkaline battery (since both use the same zinc–manganese dioxide combination). A standard dry cell comprises a zinc anode, usually in the form of a cylindrical pot, with a carbon cathode in the form of a central rod. The electrolyte is ammonium chloride in the form of a paste next to the zinc anode. The remaining space between the electrolyte and carbon cathode is taken up by a second paste consisting of ammonium chloride and manganese dioxide, the latter acting as a depolariser. In some designs, the ammonium chloride is replaced by zinc chloride.
Battery life (or акумулатори lifetime) has two meanings for rechargeable batteries but only one for non-chargeables. It can be used to describe the length of time a device can run on a fully charged battery—this is also unambiguously termed "endurance".[55] For a rechargeable battery it may also be used for the number of charge/discharge cycles possible before the cells fail to operate satisfactorily—this is also termed "lifespan".[56] The term shelf life is used to describe how long a battery will retain its performance between manufacture and use.
Commercially available batteries are designed and built with market factors in mind. The quality of materials and the complexity of electrode and container design are reflected in the market price sought for any specific product.
Secondary batteries use electrochemical cells whose chemical reactions can be reversed by applying a certain voltage to the battery.