Page 263 - Lindens Handbook of Batteries

CHAPTER 11

ALKALINE-MANGANESE DIOXIDE
BATTERIES

John C. Nardi and Ralph J. Brodd

11.1 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Within the primary battery category—that is, batteries that are used once and then discarded—the
alkaline cell has grown to be the dominant battery system for use in portable devices. As the por-
table device market has increased, so has the market share of this battery system. Alkaline batteries
have become the battery of choice in the United States and most other developed nations. While the
alkaline cell, named for its use of a basic or alkaline electrolyte, was commercially introduced in
1959, it wasn’t until the 1980s that it became widely recognized as being superior to the carbon-
zinc type primary battery. A group led by Karl Kordesch and Lew Urry, employees of the Eveready
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Battery Co. (now Energizer ), is credited with being the inventors of the alkaline round cell, which
Lew Urry patented. Because of its important contribution to society, in 1999, Lew Urry’s original
battery was placed in the Smithsonian National History Museum of American History in the same
room as Edison’s light bulb.
This superior performance is significantly manifested in the higher-drain devices like electronic
toys, CD players, cameras, and remotes. Some of its advantages are listed in Table 11.1. However,
these advantages have come at a price, i.e., a higher cost compared to the carbon-zinc battery.
The alkaline cell, otherwise known as the alkaline-manganese dioxide or zinc-manganese dioxide
battery (Zn/KOH/MnO ), is produced in two different cell types, the cylindrical type and the minia-
2
ture button style. In addition, multiple alkaline cells are made into multiple-cell configurations such
as the 9 V battery. Demand for the alkaline-MnO cell was about $12 billion worldwide in 2008 and
2
is expected to increase annually over the next several years due to the demand for battery-powered
devices, especially for smaller, thinner, and lighter portable devices. In addition, the major battery
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companies, such as Energizer , Duracell , and Rayovac in the United States have developed a
product mix within the alkaline cell primary category shifting toward more powerful batteries for
high-tech devices. Some of these companies also provide alkaline brand grades that include their
economy or value alkaline, designed for long-lasting service in devices with low to moderate drain
rates. Such applications include radios, remote controls, and clocks. A historical trend in the alkaline
low-to-moderate performance is shown in Fig. 11.1.
The standard alkaline cell is designed for the widest range of device applications, which include
photoflash, games, CDs, tape players, lighting, toys, remote controls, and clocks. Lastly, their
premium cell will deliver superior performance for high-tech devices, such as digital cameras, pho-
toflash, games, CDs, and tape players. This high-tech performance increase over a 7-year period is
shown in Fig. 11.2.

11.1