THE SECONDARY CELL Dr.

Maira
THE SECONDARY CELL
A secondary cell is the one in which the electrical energy is first stored up as a
chemical energy and when outside circuit is closed to draw the current from the cell,
the chemical energy is reconverted into electrical energy.
The chemical reactions are reversible in this cell
Are also called storage cells or accumulators because they act in such a way as if
they were reservoirs of electricity, i.e. the current can be drawn from them whenever
required and when they are discharged , they can be recharged.
Lead acid accumulators
Edison cells
LEAD ACID ACCUMULATORS
The Lead-acid battery is one of
the oldest types of
rechargeable batteries. These
batteries were invented in the
year 1859 by the French
physicist Gaston Plante.
Lead-acid batteries can be classified as secondary batteries. The chemical reactions
that occur in secondary cells are reversible. The reactants that generate an electric
current in these batteries (via chemical reactions) can be regenerated by passing a
current through the battery (recharging).
The chemical process of extracting current from a secondary battery (forward
reaction) is called discharging. The method of regenerating active material is called
charging.
CONSTRUCTION
Glass or hard rubber vessel containing dilute sulphuric acid(20%) which acts as an
electrolyte.
Two sets of perforated lead plates arranged in parallel to each other inside the vessel
Held apart by strips of wood or celluloid.
Alternated plates are soldered together to one lead rod forming one electrode while
remaining once soldered to another common lead rod forming another electrode.
The holes or perforations in the lead plates are filled with red lead or lead
oxide(PbO2).
CHARGING
Charging means storing of electrical energy.
To charge this accumulator a source of steady current or battery charger is connected
across the two terminals of two electrodes
Positive terminal electrode—anode
Negative terminal electrode-------cathode
The dissociation of H2SO4 gives the H+ and SO4(2-).
When the current is passed through the cell by the help of external source, hydrogen
ions move towards the cathode
Sulphate ions move towards the anode
Movement of electrons frm anode to cathode creates a potential difference between
the electrodes.
In charging process water is consumed and sulphuric acid is formed.
When specific gravity of sulphuric acid becomes 1.25 the cell is fully charged
The e.m.f of cell at this stage is 2.2 volts
DISCHARGING
If the cell is connected to an external circuit, the current is drawn from the cell.
The sulphuric acid dissociates into hydrogen ions and sulphate ions.
After giving charges, they react with the electrodes and reduce the active material of
each plate to lead sulphate.
In discharging process, the electrons moves from the cathode to anode,
Thus,
Lowering the potential difference between the electrodes.
Hence , the e.m.f of the cells falls. In this process, sulphuric acid is consumed and
water is formed .
Therefore, the specific gravity of sulphuric acid also falls.
If the specific gravity of sulphuric acid falls below 1.18, the cell requires recharging.
ALKALI ACCUMULATORS
Ni-Fe or Edison cells
Alkaline secondary cell

1.The Nickel-Iron alkaline cell was developed by an American

scientist Thomson A. Edison in 1909. Therefore it is also known
as Edison-cell.
CONSTRUCTION
It consists of a steel vessel containing 20% solution of KIIH in distilled water (as
electriolyte)
And 1% lithium hydroxide to make it conducting.
Here anode is a perforated steel plate in the form of a grid .
Its holes are packed with nickel hydrochloride and trace of nickel to make it
conducting
The cathode is also made of steel grid.
Its holes are packed with a iron hydrochloride and trace of mercury oxide for
lowering its internal resistance.
WORKING
Potassium hydroxide solution breaks up into positive potassium ions and negative
hydroxyl ions due to ionization
CHARGING
On passing the current from an external surce, the anode attracts negative hydroxyl
ions and cathode attracts positive potassium ions.
These ions on reaching the respective elecrodes lose their charge and reachts with
them.
Thus, when accumulator is charged Ni(OH)4 is formed on the anode and a songy Fe
on the cthode
In this process, electrons moves from anode to cathode, rasing the potential difference
between the two electrodes of cell.
When this potential difference becomes 1.36 volts, the cell is fully charged.
DISCHARGING
When the two electrodes of the cell are connected together through a resistor, there is
discharging of the cell, i.e. the cell is giving the current.
Now the anode attracts the potassium ions
Cathode attracts the hydroxyl ions
These ions on reaching the respective electrodes give their charges and react with
them.
The electrons move from cathode to anode, thus lowering the potential difference
and emf falls
<1.1 V-----cell requires recharging
Emf of Ni-FE cell is 1.36
ADVANTAGES
1. can withstand rough handling.
2. it is lighter, stronger and more durable than the lead accumulator
3. It is not damaged or over recharged
4. It is not spoiled even if left uncharged for a long time
DISADVANTAGES
1. High initial cost
2. Its emf is smaller and internal resistance is high. Therefore cannot give very
strong currents
3. it absorbs carbon dioxide when exposed to atmosphere and thus its capacity is
reduced