TITLE:
Characterization of Spent Household Zinc-Carbon Dry Cell Batteries in the Process of Recovery of Value Metals
AUTHORS:
Majharul Haque Khan, A.S.W Kurny
KEYWORDS:
Zinc-carbon battery, Characterization, Spent batteries, Waste management
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.11 No.6,
June
15,
2012
ABSTRACT: Spent zinc-carbon dry cell batteries were characterized to assess the environmental impacts
and also, to identify the potentials of recovering the metal values from these batteries. Different
component parts of both new and spent batteries of all the five types (AAA, AA, C, D and 9V)
were examined. The outer steel casings were found to be tin plated. Steel, zinc and manganese
constituted 63 percent of the total weight of the battery. Average zinc and manganese contents
were about 22 and 24 percent of the total weight of spent batteries. The electrolyte paste of the
spent batteries contained 22 wt. percent zinc and 60 wt. percent manganese. The rest was
chlorine, carbon and small amounts of iron and other impurity elements. The major phases in
the fresh batteries were carbon, MnO2 and NH4Cl, while Zn(NH3)2Cl2, ZnO.Mn2O3, Mn3O2 and
Mn2O4 were the prominent phases in the spent batteries. Presence of mercury and cadmium
were not detected and a small percentage of lead was found in both the zinc anode and in the
electrolyte paste.