The discussion centers around the question of why rechargeable AA batteries are typically rated at 1.2V instead of 1.5V, exploring the materials and chemical processes involved in battery design. Participants delve into the implications of different battery chemistries, potential new materials, and the feasibility of creating higher voltage rechargeable batteries.
Participants express a variety of views on the feasibility and practicality of creating 1.5V rechargeable batteries, with no consensus reached on the best approach or material choices. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the potential for new battery technologies.
Participants highlight limitations related to the availability and cost of materials, as well as the complexities involved in recycling battery components. The discussion reflects ongoing uncertainties about the viability of proposed battery designs.
The voltage supplied by an electrochemical cell has to do with the electrodes that are used to make the battery (as well as a few other conditions, such as concentrations of ions, etc). To make a 1.5 V battery, they'd probably have to make the battery out of some other materials, materials that may be expensive, impractical, etc.gnome said:It appears that all rechargeable "AA" batteries are rated at 1.2V.
Why doesn't anybody make 1.5V rechargeables?
That's why it would solve the recycling problem. The recycling problem with batteries is that no one recycles them: all that's in a used battery is a lot of cheap chemicals and elements. It isn't worth the work to recycle them. People throw them away. People drop them on the street.ElementFire said:Gold is expensive, though.
My thinking was that the gold would be electrodeposited on a porous element just like the platinum in a catalytic converter. This would primariy be to get the most surface area out of the least amount of gold, but it would also deter people from trying to do what you pointed out would inevitably happen: people stealing other people's batteries thinking they can melt down the gold. This way, it would take an industrial process to recover the gold from the porous element, involving nitric and hydrochloric acid, and should really end up being more trouble than it's worth. No one steals catalytic converters and tries to reclaim the platinum, despite the fact it is worth much more than the same weight of gold. Too much trouble for too little platinum.ElementFire said:It's a good idea on paper, but people may not want to use them as batteries. They'll find some technique to liquefy the gold in the battery and they'll make jewelry out of them (I'm guessing a necklace made of gold will be more expensive than one battery). :)
My thinking was that the gold would be electrodeposited on a porous element just like the platinum in a catalytic converter. This would primariy be to get the most surface area out of the least amount of gold, but it would also deter people from trying to do what you pointed out would inevitably happen: people stealing other people's batteries thinking they can melt down the gold. This way, it would take an industrial process to recover the gold from the porous element, involving nitric and hydrochloric acid, and should really end up being more trouble than it's worth. No one steals catalytic converters and tries to reclaim the platinum, despite the fact it is worth much more than the same weight of gold. Too much trouble for too little platinum.