Alkaline Battery Technology

Alkaline batteries are the most common type of battery in use today. They are the result of continued development of Zinc Carbon battery technology.

The most prominent change versus Zinc Carbon cell chemistry is the introduction of an electrolyte which uses concentrated potassium hydroxide. This change in electrolyte is responsible for much of the improved performance of alkaline batteries, also because the new chemical reaction is simpler, and does not create chmical waste (a blocking precipitate) in the battery, which caused many of the Zinc Carbon battery's limitations.

One significant technical challenge in the development of alkaline batteries was the containment of what are quite aggressive chemical substances. Only advances such as seals made from nylon or cases made from modern plastics allowed the commercial development of alkaline batteries.

The greatest advantage of alkaline batteries over Zinc Carbon batteries is:

• Perform better, and over a longer period, in high-drain applications, such as electrical motors in shavers or toys. This equates to effective operating times that are multiples (between 4 to 15 times) of those for a comparable Zinc Carbon battery.
• Have a longer shelf life, with some current premium brands exceeding 6 years.
• They perform well even at lower temperatures, down to about -30°C.

Development of alkaline technology is still continuing, and has resulted in a number of premium manufacturers introducing 'ultra' versions of their batteries. The improvement in performance of over the regular alkaline equivalent is real and measurable, and ranges from 30%-100%, depending on the application. This performance increase is the result of applying additional coatings to the electrodes, using finer grains of chemicals, and packing the same physical space more densely.

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