What types of batteries are there?

1. Primary Batteries: Single-use, cannot be reused.

Carbon-zinc batteries, alkaline batteries, paste-type zinc-manganese batteries, cardboard zinc-manganese batteries, alkaline zinc-manganese batteries, button batteries (button zinc-silver batteries, button lithium-manganese batteries, button zinc-manganese batteries), zinc-air batteries, primary lithium-manganese batteries, etc., mercury batteries.

There are two types of batteries based on the isolation layer: paste-type and plate-type batteries. Plate-type is further divided into C-type (ammonium type) and P-type (zinc type) cardboard batteries based on different electrolytes.

The traditional paste-type zinc-manganese dry cell battery uses low-activity natural manganese dioxide as the positive electrode material, with starch and flour as the paste isolation layer, and an electrolyte mainly composed of ammonium chloride (H4CL) and zinc chloride water solution. The negative electrode is a zinc can. Its discharge performance is generally poor, capacity is low, and the battery is prone to leakage towards the end of its use, but it is inexpensive.

C-type (ammonium type) cardboard batteries replace paste-paper with pulp paper. This increases the positive electrode filling amount by about 30%, and high-activity manganese replaces natural manganese by 30-70%, so the capacity is improved and the range of use is expanded. These are commonly used in small current discharge applications such as clocks, remote controllers, radios, flashlights, etc.

P-type (zinc type) cardboard batteries use zinc chloride-based electrolyte, and the positive electrode material is entirely high-activity manganese powder, such as electrolytic manganese or active manganese. Its leak-proof performance is much higher than paste-type and C-type batteries, and it is used in high current continuous discharge applications, such as in cameras, flashguns, recorders, shavers, electric toys, etc.

Cylindrical alkaline zinc-manganese batteries, also known as alkaline batteries, are the best-performing variety in the zinc-manganese battery series. They were developed in the mid-20th century as an improvement on zinc-manganese batteries. The battery uses potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) water solution as the electrolyte, with a negative electrode structure opposite to that of zinc-manganese batteries. The negative electrode is a gel-like paste, with copper nails as the current collector. The positive electrode is on the outside, with active material and conductive material compressed into a ring and connected to the battery shell. The positive and negative electrodes are separated by a special separator.

The outer shell is usually made from 08F nickel-plated steel strip, which is cold-rolled and stamped, and also serves as the positive electrode current collector. The electrochemical manganese dioxide positive electrode material is pressed into a ring tightly against the inner wall of the cylinder to ensure good contact. The negative electrode uses powdered zinc particles made into a paste and is located in the middle of the battery. A negative electrode current collector (usually copper nails) is inserted, and the current collector is connected to the bottom of the negative electrode. In the battery, the positive electrodes are separated by a membrane (separation layer), and the outer part is sealed with a nylon or polypropylene sealing ring to achieve the battery’s sealing. The external appearance of the battery is almost the same as that of ordinary batteries.

2. Secondary Batteries: Rechargeable and reusable.

Secondary alkaline zinc-manganese batteries, nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) rechargeable batteries, nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable batteries, lithium rechargeable batteries, lead-acid batteries, solar cells. Lead-acid storage batteries are divided into: open-type lead-acid storage batteries and fully sealed lead-acid storage batteries.

Nickel-cadmium battery (Ni-Cd), chemical batteries (secondary batteries).

Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery.

Lithium-ion battery (Li-ion), lithium batteries.

Lead-acid battery, lead batteries.

Others.

Physical energy batteries.

Solar cell batteries.

Microbial batteries.

Polymer batteries.

Every type of battery is composed of four basic components: two different material electrodes, an electrolyte, a separator, and a casing.

3. Green and Environmentally Friendly Batteries

These refer to a class of high-performance, pollution-free batteries that have been developed and are now in use or under development, including the metal hydride nickel storage batteries, lithium-ion storage batteries that are currently in use, mercury-free alkaline zinc-manganese primary batteries that are being promoted, as well as fuel cells, solar cells (photovoltaic cells), etc.

4. Lead-Acid Storage Batteries

In 1859, French scientist Plante discovered the lead-acid battery, which consists of five basic parts: the positive plate, negative plate, electrolyte, separator, and container (battery cell). The battery uses lead dioxide as the positive electrode material, lead as the negative electrode material, sulfuric acid as the electrolyte, and microporous rubber, sintered polyvinyl chloride, fiberglass, polypropylene, etc., as the separator.

5. Cadmium-Nickel Batteries and Metal Hydride Batteries

Both use nickel oxide or nickel hydroxide as the positive electrode, potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide water solution as the electrolyte, and metallic cadmium or metallic hydride as the negative electrode. The metal hydride battery was invented in the late 1980s, utilizing the reversible electrochemical reaction of hydrogen-absorbing alloys to release hydrogen. It is a leading product for small secondary batteries.

6. Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are a general term for batteries that use metallic lithium or lithium compounds as active materials. They are divided into primary lithium batteries and secondary lithium batteries.

The battery uses carbon materials, which allow lithium ions to be embedded and extracted, instead of pure lithium as the negative electrode, with lithium compounds as the positive electrode and a mixed electrolyte as the electrolyte solution.

The positive electrode materials of lithium-ion batteries usually consist of lithium active compounds, and the negative electrode is made of carbon with a special molecular structure. The most common positive electrode material is LiCoO2. During charging, the voltage applied across the battery terminals forces the positive electrode compound to release lithium ions, which then embed into the carbon with a layered molecular structure in the negative electrode. During discharge, lithium ions are extracted from the carbon layers and rebind with the positive electrode compound. The current is generated by the movement of lithium ions.

Although the chemical reaction principle is simple, in actual industrial production, many practical issues need to be considered: the positive electrode materials require additives to maintain activity during multiple charge-discharge cycles, and the negative electrode materials need to be designed at the molecular level to accommodate more lithium ions. The electrolyte, which fills the space between the positive and negative electrodes, must not only remain stable but also have good conductivity to reduce internal battery resistance.

Although lithium-ion batteries almost have no memory effect, their capacity still decreases after multiple charge-discharge cycles. This is mainly due to the changes in the positive and negative electrode materials themselves. On the molecular level, the hole structures that accommodate lithium ions in the positive and negative electrodes gradually collapse and clog. From a chemical perspective, the activity of the electrode materials becomes passivated, leading to side reactions that generate stable other compounds. Physically, the positive electrode material may gradually peel off. In summary, this reduces the number of lithium ions that can freely move during the charge-discharge process.

Overcharging and deep discharging will cause permanent damage to the positive and negative electrodes of lithium-ion batteries. On a molecular level, over-discharging will cause the negative electrode carbon to release too many lithium ions, causing the layered structure to collapse. Overcharging will force too many lithium ions into the negative electrode carbon structure, making some of them unable to be released. This is why lithium-ion batteries are usually equipped with charge-discharge control circuits.

7. Fuel Cells

Fuel cells are devices that directly convert the energy from a fuel (such as hydrogen or hydrogen-containing fuel) and an oxidant (such as pure oxygen or oxygen from air) into electricity. They have high efficiency, with electrochemical conversion efficiency reaching over 40%, and they do not emit pollutants.