Everyone has probably experienced it before: Older batteries, for example in the remote control, are leaking. But why is that actually the case? TECHBOOK explains it.
If batteries are left in a device for a long time, they can leak and make a mess. In the worst case, the contacts are then so sticky and rusty that the devices no longer work at all. What fewer people know, however, is that even new, unused batteries can leak. But why is that? And what about batteries?
“The batteries that expire at the end of their life cycle are mainly outdated zinc-based primary batteries (one-off use, for example zinc-carbon or zinc-chloride batteries),” explains Markus Börner from the MEET battery research center at the University of Münster to TECHBOOK . If these leak, it can even damage the device in the worst case. The liquid that comes out is the electrolyte. It regulates the transport of the charge between the plus and minus pole. In the case of a zinc-carbon battery, the ammonium chloride it contains may leak.
Why can batteries leak?
But why is the battery leaking? There can be two reasons for this. On the one hand it is due to the zinc in the zinc-carbon battery. In a cup shape, the zinc encloses the battery. However, the zinc degrades over time. If discharge occurs through use of the battery, the exterior, the zinc, will be attacked, which can result in holes. This can cause the battery fluid to leak out. These holes usually appear on the flat negative pole.
On the other hand, the electrolyte attacks the outer zinc even when the battery is not in use. If the battery is already very low, the electrolyte can easily eat through the empty negative pole. After about a year and a half, it can happen that the electrolyte in the battery leaks out. However, leaking batteries are a thing of the past. “Newer alkaline-manganese primary batteries (based on zinc and manganese) should not normally exhibit this effect,” says Börner.
If batteries have leaked, you should remove the residue and wash your hands thoroughly if they come into contact with your skin. The device in which the batteries were located should be cleaned with a damp cloth. You can take precautions by removing the batteries from devices that are not used for a long period of time.
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What about rechargeable batteries?
Unlike batteries, lithium-ion batteries, i.e. rechargeable batteries, cannot leak at the end of their life cycle. This is due to the electrolyte in the battery, which does not consist of a corrosive, i.e. corrosive, acid. “However, as a result of an accident, the electrolyte can escape from any type of battery,” explains Börner. In general, the use of rechargeable batteries is preferable to batteries because they are more environmentally friendly.
Leat themselves Don’t charge the batteries anymoren and sind Batteries dead, should man do not dispose of them in the household waste, but in special boxes from retailers or municipalities. Some metals in the battery leat themselves thus recyclable and pollutants, such as lead or mercury, do not get into the environment.