The Battery

Sam Sagan

The Need

• People needed a source of electricity to power portable devises.

• The energy source had to be durable, long-lasting, and small.

History

• Devises called Leyden jars which consisted of silver foil that held a charge

• Multiple Leyden jars were put together to hold a greater charge.

• Benjamin Franklin first coined the term “battery” for multiple Leyden jars put together.

Alternate Solutions

• There were no alternative solutions because the only devise that was used at the time to store energy was the Leyden jar.

Innovations

• The Galvanic cell was an early form of current batteries. – It used combinations of

chemicals and metals connected by a bridge of porous material.

• Multiple Galvanic cells were stacked together to form what is known as a voltaic pile. – These devises were unreliable

so they could not be used for portable devises.

Innovations (Cont…)

• The Daniel cell, which was made in 1836, was the first wet cell battery, which is a battery that uses liquids in glass containers. – These devises were very fragile but produced a

consistent charge.

• By the end of 19th century, dry cell batteries were made using a paste instead of liquid.– These devises were very durable and they still

produced a consistent charge.

Results of Invention

• The battery allowed for the use of all the portable electronic devises that existed then and exist now.

Primary (non-rechargeable) BatteriesChemistry Cell

Voltage   Energy Density [MJ/kg]  

Zinc–carbon 1.5 .13

Zinc chloride 1.5

Alkaline 1.5 .4-.59

Oxy nickel hydroxide

1.7

Lithium 3.0 .83-1.01

Mercury oxide 1.35

Zinc–air 1.35-1.65 1.59

Silver oxide 1.55 .47

Manufacturing Facility

Quality Control

• Batteries have to adhere to the standards put in place by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and other standards organizations.

Today’s Batteries

• Batteries only got smaller, more efficient, and cheaper from the 19th century.

• There are now many types of batteries utilizing many types of chemicals.

Disposal

• Thrown out as solid waste or material is salvaged in battery recycling.