Battery Making

Battery making process:
All batteries utilize similar procedures to create Electricity; however, variations in materials and construction have produced different types of batteries. The following is a simplified description of how a Battery works.

Two important parts of any cell are the anode and the cathode. The cathode is a metal that is combined, The anode is a metal that would oxidize if it were allowed to and, other things being equal, is more likely to oxidize than the metal that forms part of the cathode.

A cell produces Electricity: When one end of a cathode and one end of an anode are placed into a third substance that can conduct Electricity, while their other ends are connected. The anode draws oxygen atoms toward it, thereby creating an electric flow. If there is a switch in the circuit (similar to any wall or lamp switch), the circuit is not complete and Electricity cannot flow unless the switch is in the closed position.

The third substance into which the anode and the cathode are placed is called an electrolyte. In many cases this material is a chemical combination that has the property of being alkaline.

The container for the electrolyte: Can act as both a container and either the cathode or the anode. Some cells draw their oxygen not from a cathode but right out of the air. Changes in the compositions of the anode and the cathode will provide more or less Electricity. Precise adjustment of all of the materials used in a cell can affect the amount of Electricity that can be produced, the rate of production, the voltage at which Electricity is delivered through the lifetime of the cell, and the cell's ability to function at different temperatures.

Raw Materials:
In an alkaline Battery, the cylinder that contains the cells is made of nickel-plated steel. It is lined with a separator that divides the cathode from the anode and is made of either layered paper or a porous synthetic material. The canister is sealed at one end with an asphalt or epoxy Sealant that underlies a steel plate, and at the other with a brass nail driven through the cylinder.

This nail is welded to a metal end cap and passed through an exterior plastic seal. Inside the cylinder, the cathode consists of a mixture of manganese dioxide, graphite, and a potassium hydroxide solution; the anode comprises zinc powder and a potassium hydroxide electrolyte.

Manufacturing Process:
The cathode:
In an alkaline Battery, the cathode actually doubles as part of the container. Huge loads of the constituent ingredients—manganese dioxide, carbon black (graphite), and an electrolyte (potassium hydroxide in solution)—are Mixing the constituent ingredients is the first step in Battery manufacture. After granulation, the mixture is then pressed or compacted into preforms hollow cylinders.

Mixing the constituent ingredients: Is the first step in Battery manufacture. After granulation, the mixture is then pressed or compacted into preforms—hollow cylinders. The principle involved in compaction is simple: a steel punch descends into a cavity and compacts the mixture. As it retracts, a punch from below rises to eject the compacted preform, delivered by train and mixed in very large batches at the production site.

The preforms are next inserted into a nickel plated steel: Can the combination of the preforms and the steel can make up the cathode of the Battery. In a large operation, the cans are made at the Battery factory using standard cutting and forming techniques. An indentation is made near the top of the can, and an asphalt or epoxy Sealant is placed above the indentation to protect against leakage.

The separator: A paper separator soaked in the electrolyte solution is then inserted inside the can against the preforms; the separator is made from several pieces of paper laid at crossgrains to each other (like plywood). Looking down at an open can, one would see what looks like a paper cup inserted into the can. The separator keeps the cathode material from coming into contact with the anode material. As an alternative, a manufacturer might use a porous synthetic fiber for the same purpose.

The anode: The anode goes into the Battery can next. It is a gel composed primarily of zinc powder, along with other materials including a potassium hydroxide electrolyte. This gel has the consistency of a very thick paste. Rather than a solution, it is chemically a suspension, in which particles do not settle (though an appropriate filter could separate them). The gel does not fill the can to the top so as to allow space for the chemical reactions that will occur once the Battery is put into use.

The Seals: The Battery needs to be sealed with three connected components. The first, a brass "nail" or long spike, is inserted into the middle of the can, through the gel material and serves as a "current collector." The second is a plastic seal and the third a metal end cap. The nail, which extends about two-thirds The container of a typical alkaline Battery, consisting of preform inserted into a steel can, also doubles as the cathode. The anode in the middle is a gel composed primarily of zinc powder.

The separator: between the anode and cathode is either paper or synthetic fiber that has been soaked in an electrolyte solution. In the finished Battery, a plastic seal, a steel nail, and a metal top and bottom have been added. The nail is welded to the metal bottom and extends about two-thirds of the way into the can, through the anode.

The container of a typical alkaline Battery: Consisting of preform inserted into a steel can, also doubles as the cathode. The anode in the middle is a gel composed primarily of zinc powder. The separator between the anode and cathode is either paper or synthetic fiber that has been soaked in an electrolyte solution.

In the finished Battery: A plastic seal, a steel nail, and a metal top and bottom have been added. The nail is welded to the metal bottom and extends about two-thirds of the way into the can, through the anode, of the way into the can, is welded to the metal end cap and then passed through the plastic seal.

The Label: Before the Battery leaves the factory, a label is added identifying the type of Battery, its size, and other information.

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