A new magnesium-air cell for long-life applications

Sathyanarayana, S and Munichandraiah, N (1981) A new magnesium-air cell for long-life applications. In: Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 11 (1). pp. 33-39.

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Abstract

A novel type of magnesium-air primary cell has been evolved which employs non-polluting and abundantly available materials. The cell is based on the scheme Mg/Mg(NO3)2, NaNO2, H20/Q(C). The magnesium anode utilization is about 90% at a current density of 20 mAcm -2. The anode has been shown to exhibit a low open-circuit corrosion, a relatively uniform pattern of corrosion and a low negative difference effect in the electrolyte developed above as compared to the conventional halide or perchlorate electrolytes. In the usual air-depolarized mode of operation, the cell has been found to be capable of continuous discharge over several months at a constant cell voltage of about 1 V and a current density of 1 mAcm -2 at the cathode. The long service-life capability arises from the formation of a protective film on the porous carbon cathode and fast sedimentation of the anodic product (magnesium hydroxide) in the electrolyte. The cell has a shelf-life in the activated state of about a year due to the low open-circuit corrosion of the anode. These favourable features suggest the practical feasibility of developing economical, long-life, non-reserve magnesium-air ceils for diverse applications using magnesium anodes with a high surface area and porous carbon-air electrodes.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal of Applied Electrochemistry
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Springer Netherlands
Department/Centre:	Division of Chemical Sciences > Inorganic & Physical Chemistry
Date Deposited:	22 Jan 2010 08:43
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 05:42
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/22659

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