Why ordinary batteries cannot be charged, but batteries can be - a simple answer

Finger or pinky batteries look so much like a battery! The same contacts and the case, the electrolyte inside, the liquid, which serves as a source of charge. What is the difference? Why can't ordinary batteries be charged? The secret in the chemical composition.

Battery and Battery - General

So, the general arrangement is clear: liquid is poured into the container, an element rich in negative particles is placed on the bottom, and a positively charged element is at the opposite end. Electrons are eager to take “positive” places, but the reaction is weak - until the contacts are connected. As soon as the circuit closes (i.e., the batteries / accumulator are placed on the contacts in some device or simply connected with wires to the light bulb), the reaction becomes intense. Negative particles rush to the anode and adhere to it. The reaction lasts, in theory, until the entire supply of negative particles is exhausted.

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In practice, especially in cheap batteries, the reaction stops much earlier. Elements are covered with a layer of salts and oxides and are isolated.

Differences

The principle of operation is the same for both batteries and batteries. So what are the differences? In the composition of the liquid and the materials of the cathode and anode.

Batteries are usually alkaline, and their batteries often dissolve during the exchange of electrons. So the chemical process in batteries is irreversible. The batteries use materials that allow you to restore the cathode and anode using reverse current, that is, by changing the plus and minus.

Where did the idea of ​​charging batteries come from

This idea is not as absurd as it might seem. Yes, if the zinc cathode is dissolved, trying to reanimate it is stupid. But! Cheap batteries stop working due to oxides, and the chemical resource remains not exhausted. So here. Even Soviet scientists found that if a insulated battery is punctured by a strong current, the “crusts” fly off, the contacts are cleared, and the reaction resumes.

note
The capacity of finger / pinky batteries is about the same, regardless of cost. Why do cheap things land faster? Because their contacts and ionic solution are made of simpler materials.

How to recharge: two experiments

It is impossible to charge the batteries - scientists struggled to remove oxides from the contacts without disassembling the battery. It will not be possible to reverse the reaction. But to conduct this experiment, you need special equipment, and you should not do this at home.

But what if you put the battery in the battery charger? purity.bigbadmole.com/en/ magazine strongly discourages this: there is a high probability of an explosion.

Why does it explode

Basically, the problem is alkali. If you pass a reverse current through it, it will start to warm up, releasing gas. And BOOM! Alkali and its reaction products will scatter throughout the room, and fragments of the body will easily burn and injure hands and face.

But on "YouTube" they showed!

Indeed on YouTube There are clips in which the batteries are charged. In fact, this is a way to extend the battery life a little, no more.

How it's done:

1. The battery is placed in the charger for about 15 minutes.
2. Strictly monitor the temperature. As soon as the battery has warmed up to 40 degrees (with the palm of your hand it feels so that the cool case has become warm) - get out of the device.

Such "resuscitation" is enough for the battery to last another 5-10 minutes. It’s much easier and safer to go to the store and buy new batteries.

The method is effective with cheap elements, but not with expensive ones. Why? Because the latter use better materials, and the electrons are not blocked by oxides, but are consumed to the end, tearing them back out of the anode will not work. If possible, the cell would be called a battery.

We summarize. It makes no sense to charge batteries, especially expensive ones - it’s easier to buy new ones. And safer. If you are concerned about ecology and economy, spend a certain amount of money once and get two sets of batteries and a charger. This set will last you more than one year, so you will forget to think about batteries and their purchase, especially charging.