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| Batteries are devices that translate chemical energy into electricity. But that simple definition greatly understates the pervasive role of batteries in our life. Batteries are an efficient way to make electricity portable. In addition, batteries provide power to replace electricity from the utility electrical grid for a variety of critical functions. As the world becomes increasingly addicted to electricity and mobility batteries play an ever greater role in all aspects of our life. Batteries come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are small enough to fit on a computer circuit board while others are large enough to power a submarine. There are batteries that are used once and thrown away and there are batteries that are recharged and reused thousands of times. Some batteries are used several times every day while others may sit for ten or twenty years before they are ever used. Obviously for such a diversity of uses, a variety of battery types are necessary. But all of them work from the same basic principles. The first battery was demonstrated nearly 200 years ago and batteries have been extensively researched since then. Even so, there is much yet to be learned about the details of battery chemistry. New battery types and significant improvements in the performance of existing batteries have spurred the increased use of batteries throughout society. Batteries can be frustrating. We have all had experiences where we went to use a battery-powered flashlight or appliance and it hasn't worked. Or we have gone to start the car and nothing happened. Much of the time it isn't the battery's fault. We left the flashlight on or forgot to recharge the appliance or left the headlights on. But the battery gets the blame anyway. However, batteries do have their quirks. As active chemical systems, they are sensitive to how they are used, the environment around them, and, even, how they have been treated in the past. An improved understanding of how batteries work can pay substantial dividends in better utilizing battery strengths and avoiding battery weaknesses. |