What is Mercury Cell?
The zinc anode, mercuric oxide cathode, and potassium hydroxide electrolyte make up the mercury cell, a form of dry cell. The mercury cell is a new type of cell that is used in small electrical circuits such as those hearing aids, watches, and cameras. A zinc anode and a mercury (II) oxide cathode make up this component. The electrolyte is a KOH and ZnO paste.
The cell undergoes the following reaction:
At anode:
Zn(Hg) + 2OH¯→ ZnO(s) + H2O+ 2e¯
At cathode:
HgO(s) + H2O+ 2e¯ → Hg(l) + 2OH¯
Overall cell equation is as follows:
Zn + HgO(s) → ZnO(s) + Hg(l)
It has the benefit that its potential stays basically constant during the course of its existence. The mercury cell has a voltage of about 1.35 V.
Mercury Cell
Mercury Cell is a type of Primary Cell, which is non-rechargeable in nature, meaning it can only be used once before discarding it. The Mercury Cell is generally a small button-like structure and is mainly used in low-current devices such as watches, BIOS batteries on motherboards, and pacemakers. The Mercury cell has a potential of 1.35 Volts and is made by filling chemicals like mercury, mercuric oxide, carbon powder, zinc oxide, etc., into a steel container the size of a button.
In this article, we will learn about the mercury cell and its components and working of mercury cells and different types of mercury cells, and the advantages and applications of mercury cells.
Table of Content
- What is Mercury Cell?
- Construction of Mercury Cells
- Working Principle of Mercury Cell
- Different Types of Mercury Cell
- Mercury Cell Vs Dry Cell
- Applications of Mercury Cell