Alkaline zinc-manganese batteries did not enter the market until the 1950s. In recent years, in the Chinese market, acidic zinc-manganese batteries are being replaced by more expensive alkaline zinc-manganese batteries. The electrolyte of alkaline zinc-manganese batteries is KOH.
The structure of the alkaline battery is completely opposite to that of the acid battery. The center of the battery is the negative electrode, the zinc is in powder form, the positive electrode area is on the outer layer, which is a mixture of MnO2 and KOH, and the outer shell is a steel cylinder. Alkaline zinc-manganese batteries overcome the disadvantages of acid battery storage time and voltage instability, but they are still disposable batteries.
Alkaline batteries are 4-5 times the power of carbon batteries, and the price is 1.5-2 times that of carbon batteries. Carbon batteries are suitable for low-current electrical appliances, such as quartz clocks, remote controls, radios, etc.; alkaline batteries are suitable for high-current electrical appliances, such as BP players, CD players, electric toothbrushes, electric toys, and handheld computers.Also read:Are solar batteries worth it?
- The difference lies in different materials, different battery capacities, and different internal materials
(1) Different materials
Both carbon batteries and alkaline batteries are dry batteries, but they are divided into two categories according to different materials.
(2) The amount of current is different
Alkaline batteries are also called alkaline dry batteries or alkaline zinc-manganese dry batteries. They are suitable for instruments that require large discharge capacity and long-term use. Small alkaline batteries contain only 0.025% mercury and do not need to be recycled. Based on the environmental protection and high current characteristics of alkaline batteries, more alkaline batteries are now mentioned.
(3) The battery capacity is different
The nominal voltage of both carbon batteries and alkaline batteries is 1.5V, but alkaline batteries of the same size have a larger capacity and are more suitable for high-current discharge.
(4) Different internal materials
The essential difference between carbon batteries and alkaline batteries is the difference in internal materials. In short, carbon batteries are composed of carbon rods and zinc skins, but there are cadmium and mercury inside, which is not conducive to environmental protection, but they are cheap, so they still have a place in the market, while alkaline batteries do not contain heavy metal ions, and the current is large. Conducive to environmental protection, is the direction of future battery development!Also read:How long do solar panel batteries last
- The essential difference between carbon batteries and alkaline batteries
- Carbon batteries of the same type are lighter than alkaline batteries in terms of weight. The power of alkaline batteries is 3-5 times that of carbon batteries, and the current of alkaline batteries is larger than that of carbon batteries.
- In terms of use, alkaline electricity is generally used in keyboards and mice, sphygmomanometers and digital products, and carbon electricity is used in computers, remote controls, and clocks.
- Carbon batteries are disposable batteries, which means that they cannot be charged by ordinary methods after use, and are mostly used in electronic watches and remote controls. Alkaline batteries can be used repeatedly. When the power is exhausted, it will recover a certain amount of power after being placed for a period of time. However, it cannot be charged by ordinary methods. It is mostly used in advanced electronic products, such as electronic cameras.
- The price of carbon battery is cheap, and the price of alkaline battery is expensive, and its price is 1.5-2 times that of carbon battery. The power of alkaline batteries is 4-7 times that of carbon batteries, so the usable time of alkaline batteries is long, and the usable time of carbon batteries is short.
- The casing materials of carbon batteries and alkaline batteries are different. Carbon batteries will participate in chemical reactions, but alkaline batteries will not. The shelf life of carbon batteries is not long, while alkaline batteries can last for more than 5 years.
Alkaline batteries and carbon batteries have different chemical composition and structure, but their output voltage is the same. Its internal resistance is small and can output high current, and its capacity is large, so it can work for a longer time.