Year 12 Chemistry HSC Assessment Task 1-12 Production of Materials Primary and Secondary Cells

Dry cell in comparison with Fuel cell

Fuel cell is galvanic cell based device, basically using a chemical reaction of different kinds of fuel ( including Hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, natural gas and gasoline) with a oxidizing agent to produce electric current (electricity), it is first invented by a British Physicist, William Grove in 1839. The most common fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel to undergo redox reaction with air (oxygen) from the atmosphere to produce electricity and heat. Describes the chosen cells as being Galvanic cells - Dry Cell (primary cell) Dry cells are so-called because its electrolytes are in a solid or pastes from base on a galvanic cells but rather that using liquids (solution), it is more suitable and less dangerous in many applications. The most common dry cell is the zinc and graphite battery with a voltage between 1.2 -1.5 volts. A redox reaction happens with in the dry cell where zinc gives of electrons, under going oxidation and on the other side, a graphite pin surrounding by a paste containing manganese dioxide, gains the electrons and under going reduction.

- Fuel Cell

A galvanic cell is a device which convert chemical energy to electrical energy. Fuel cells is such a devics which can continuously converting chemical energy to electrical energy and produce between 0.6 - 0.8 volts of electricity by using hydrogen as a fuel. Hydrogen fuel cell are made up of three different segments which are sandwiched together: the anode, the electrolyte and the cathode. Electrons are given up by the hydrogen anode (negative) and flows from the anode via the circuit to the cathode (positive) where they are gained by cations. The hydrogen becomes ions which then pass through the electrolyte (membrane) to the cathode (oxygen), combining together to produce water.

Explains how the chosen cells are Galvanic cells in terms of oxidation and reduction - Fuel cell The redox reaction happens between the anode (hydrogen) and (oxygen). At the anode a catalyst oxidizes the fuel (hydrogen) where the hydrogen are splited into positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons. The electrons flows through an external circuit to the cathode and are gained by the oxygen in order to complete the other half of the reaction. The use of electrolyte usually defines the type of fuel cell, a proton exchange membrane fuel cells (hydrogen fuel cell) use a solid polymer membrane (a thin plastic film) as the electrolyte. The electrolyte is designed so ions can pass through where as the electrons can't.

2H2 --------> 4H+ + 4eOxidation Anode (-)

O2 + 4H+ + 4e- -------> 2 H2O Reduction Cathode (+)

-Dry Cell The ordinary dry cell is a primary cell incorporating the oxidation of zinc and the reduction of manganese dioxide. The dry cell can produce approximately 1.5 volts of emf (electromotive force). The manganese dioxide paste also contains ammonium chloride and zinc chloride which are the mainly used electrolyte in a dry cell. The dry cell contains a zinc anode(-), mainly in the form of a cylindrical, every zinc atom loses 2 electrons and gains by manganese dioxide through the graphite(carbon) cathode(+). The graphite cathode are surrounded by and mixed with manganese dioxide in order to increase the electrical conductivity , the graphite pin are usually placed in the central of the cell. Overall reaction: Zn(s) +Zn(NH3)2Cl2 (aq) +H2O(l) +2MnO2(s) +2NH4Cl(aq) Mn2O3(s)

Zn(s) Zn2+(aq) + 2e Oxidation Anode (-)

2MnO2(s) + 2e + 2NH4Cl(aq) Mn2O3(s) + 2NH3(aq) + H2O(aq) + 2 Cl Reduction Cathode (+) the Cl combines with the Zn2+ and manganese is reduced from an oxidation state of (+4) to (+3).

operation of a dry cell providing electrical energy

Discusses the cost and practicality of each cell Fuel cell has a high practicality in comparison to other energy sources. Fuel cell are widely used in different area within the society such as for commercial and industrial (usually as a back up power), because of using hydrogen as fuel, this makes the fuel cell system surprisingly light in weight and small in size. One of the biggest advantage of fuel cell is that the system can work continually for a very long period of time as long as the fuel supply are stable, this is because fuel cells have no moving parts and does not involve combustion, therefore, fuel cell are highly suitable and useful power supply particularly in remote locations such as aircraft, vehicles, submarine and even spacecraft. Fuel cell can also convert its heat energy in by using catalyst and without cooling down the steam, the energy of fuel cell can go up to 70% conversion efficiency. Fuel cell can also changes its voltage where as the dry cell cannot.

Cost - in 2003, the cos of electricity generated by a fuel cell was around US $100 - $200 per kilowatt, in 2009 was US $61 per kilowatt and by the time of 2015, the cost will be less than 30 dollars per kilowatt, this is due to the reduction of the price of the catalyst and membrane (the electrolyte). This is immensely cheap and affordable for costumers for such a long life energy sources.

Dry cell or battery are relatively cheap compared to other types of portable power sources. Dry cell comes in a range of sizes to suit most applications, from small AAA cells through to large 9V batteries. Battery has been a every day living energy sources throughout the world as it is inexpensive to produce, dry cell are easy to store and use, although it can leak, but it's very useful when a small current is needed, it is also the main power sources of low drain appliances such as torches, clocks, radios. Although dry cell battery are nonrechargeable and have a short shelf life as it can deteriorate, leak and can go "dead" rapidly, but such a low cost makes it cheap to

replace. Discusses the cells' impact on society Dry cell battery are the first commercial battery developed in 1866 and had a massive impact on society which is still being fully realised. As the first type of reliable electricity, dry cell led to society becoming extremely more mobile and convenient, many electrical appliances had no longer need to be plugged in to a power outlet, allowing us more easily to have connect with such everyday items used in education, entertainment and everyday living. This has a significant impact society as dry cell have improved peoples quality of life. Furthermore, especially in more modern times, dry cells have paved the way for the miniaturisation of electrical devices through their own compost size. Dry cells had also paved the way for the future development of batteries. Fuel cell also have a huge impact on society as it is seeing as the future power sources with a huge potential. Fuel cell have hight efficiency and relatively smell mass. Other advantage of fuel cell in terms of environmental impact and the productivity has led the fuel cell technology becoming one of the more suitable energy sources in the future. Many new fuel cell systems have been developed such as the Combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell systems in order to improve the fuel cell technology. Discusses the cells' environmental impact Fuel cells have a lot less impact on the environment in comparing with dry cell as it is a renewable device, in the hydrogen fuel cell, water and heat are the only product in the reaction, all materials used in the fuel cells cause no environmental damage and can be produced without any problems, it is non-polluting as water is harmless to the environment and most importantly to the human body. About 50% of the world's carbon pollution comes from vehicles, using a fuel cell vehicle and other fuel cell based devices help reducing carbon pollution. The environment impact of dry cell have always been an issue concerned as the dry cell is a non rechargeable and non renewable power sources, dry cell must be abandoned ones they are used up and the reaction is no longer reacting which will end up in our landfills and have effect on the land. These waste must be treated cautiously as the dry cell is made from zinc, a heavily toxic metal which courses

harmful to human and other animal species.

Battery type Dry cell

Structure
Outer zinc casing (anode) with a graphite rod (cathode) in a paste of manganese dioxide and ammonium chloride as the electrolyte.

Chemistry
Oxidation at the anode: Zn(s) Zn2+(aq) + 2 e Reduction at the cathode: 2MnO2(s) + 2 e + 2NH4Cl(aq) Mn2O3(s) + 2NH3(aq) + H2O(aq) + 2 Cl Oxidation at the anode: 2H2 4H+ + 4eReduction at the cathode: O2 + 4H+ + 4e- 2 H2O

Cost and practicality

- cell cannot be recharged - short shelf life as it can deteriorate and leak - can go "dead" rapidly - inexpensive to produce - small, lightweight weight - greater efficiency - less maintenance - longer life span - can operate at higher temperatures. - higher cost

Impact on society and environment

- mobile and convenient to use for appliances with infrequent use; e.g. Torch, calculators - considerations for safe disposal after discharged - harmful to human and other animal species.

Fuel cell

Two half cell are separated by a membrane; hydrogen and oxygen are pumped into the cell where the chemical energy of hydrogen is converted into electrical energy through a redox reaction.

- well suited power

sources for vehicles and will produce less pollution. - reduce carbon pollution

Bibliography:

http://www.fuelcells.org/info/library/QuestionsandAnswers062404.pdf http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/fuel_cell_markets/proton_exchange_m embrane_fuel_cells_pemfc/4,1,1,2502.html ,Fuel Cell Markets Ltd. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_cell#Dry_cell 3 November 2011, the free encyclopedia Chemistry Contexts Second edition (HSC), Debbie Irwin, Ross Farrelly, Deborah Vitlin, Patrick Garnett, 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell 31 October 2011, wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_exchange_membrane_fuel_cell 19 September 2011 http://www.ehow.com/about_6398485_lithium-ion-vs_-alkalinebatteries.html P.1 image from:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1b/Fuel_Cell_Block_Diagram.svg/400pxFuel_Cell_Block_Diagram.svg.png

P.2 image from:http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/content/images/articles/1/Fc_diagram_pem.gif

http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/fuel_cell_markets/proton_exchange_membrane_fuel_cells_pemfc/ 4,1,1,2502.html

P.3 image from: http://www.odec.ca/projects/2006/glaz6j2/battery_encarta.JPG

P.4 image from: http://www.fuelcells.org/info/library/QuestionsandAnswers062404.pdf p.3 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Hydrogen_vehicle.jpg