Super iron battery - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Super-iron battery is a new class of rechargeable electric battery

Battery (electricity)

An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...

.

"Super-iron" is a moniker for a special kind of ferrate

Ferrate

In chemistry, ferrate refers either to the anion , in which iron is in the +6 oxidation state, or to a salt containing this anion. The term ferrate is often used to mean ferrate, although according to IUPAC naming conventions, it may also refer to other iron-containing oxyanions, such as ferrate...

salt (iron(VI)). Potassium ferrate

Potassium ferrate

Potassium ferrate is the chemical compound with the formula K2FeO4. This purple salt is paramagnetic, and is a rare example of an iron compound. In most of its compounds, iron has the oxidation state +2 or +3...

or barium ferrate

Barium ferrate

Barium ferrate is the chemical compound of formula BaFeO4. This compound contains iron in the +6 oxidation state. It is isostructural with BaSO4, and contains the tetrahedral [FeO4]2− anion.-Preparation and chemistry:...

, used in this new class of batteries.

chemist Stuart Licht of the University of Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts

This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...

was leading research into a Super-iron battery.

Use of ferrate cathodes was tested and patented by Amendola as well as other patents.

"...the new cathode
Cathode
A cathode is an electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: CCD .Cathode polarity is not always negative...

employs salts of an unusual ionic form of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...

— hexavalent or superoxidized iron—that readily accept three electrons per ion, Licht explains. The more electrons the cathode
Cathode
A cathode is an electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: CCD .Cathode polarity is not always negative...

can accept, the more electricity the battery can supply." —Peter Weiss

It uses the same zinc

Zinc

Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...

anode

Anode

An anode is an electrode through which electric current flows into a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: ACID ....

and electrolyte

Electrolyte

In chemistry, an electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. The most typical electrolyte is an ionic solution, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....

as an alkaline battery

Alkaline battery

Alkaline batteries are a type of primary batteries dependent upon the reaction between zinc and manganese dioxide . A rechargeable alkaline battery allows reuse of specially designed cells....

, but its capacity is around 50% higher.

Environment

Iron rust

Rust

Rust is a general term for a series of iron oxides. In colloquial usage, the term is applied to red oxides, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture...

is nontoxic, preferable over mercury

Mercury (element)

Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...

, cadmium

Cadmium

Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...

, manganese

Manganese

Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...

and nickel oxide

Nickel oxide

Nickel oxide may refer to:* Nickel oxide, NiO, green, well-characterised oxide* Nickel oxide, Ni2O3, black, not well-characterised oxide...

Environment

See also

Further reading