Electric batteries store and release electrical energy, which they acquire by converting other forms of energy. They are crucial for powering a wide array of devices without the need for direct electrical connections.
The electric battery's concept emerged from experiments with electrochemical cells in the 18th and 19th centuries, where scientists like Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta discovered the generation of electric currents through chemical reactions.
A voltaic or galvanic cell produces an electric current through redox reactions, involving two half-cells with metal electrodes immersed in an electrolyte, connected by a wire and a salt bridge that allows electron exchange.
In a battery, the cathode is the positively charged electrode that receives electrons, while the anode is the negatively charged electrode that supplies electrons during redox reactions.
Commonly discussed batteries include lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, used in various portable electronics and electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells, which are of interest for clean energy applications.
Li-ion batteries have revolutionized portable power due to their rechargeable nature, allowing them to convert chemical energy to electrical energy and vice versa, making them integral to modern electronic devices and electric vehicles.
Research on batteries like hydrogen fuel cells is pivotal for developing sustainable energy solutions, such as the envisioned hydrogen economy, which India aims to become a global hub for with its National Green Hydrogen Mission.
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