Leclanche battery

A Leclanche battery or Leclanche cell is a primary cell (it cannot be recharged). It was invented by the French engineer George Leclanché around 1866. It used to be the "everyday battery", but it has been replaced by the alkaline battery for most applications. It has much lower power than the alkaline battery, but it is cheaper to make. It is still used for low-power applications such as clocks, low-wattage flashlights, and remote controls. It is lighter than the alkaline battery and can be easily found in general stores. It is normally marketed with the label "Extra Heavy Duty" or "Super Heavy Duty" on it, meaning that some of the electrolytes have been replaced to make it longer lasting. It works by the oxidation of zinc by manganese dioxide. It has a zinc chloride or ammonium chloride electrolyte.

Parts
 C = Carbon rod (positive terminal)
 MnO2 = Manganese dioxide (depolarizer)
 NH4Cl = Ammonium chloride (electrolyte)
 Zn = Zinc case (negative terminal)

Related pages
Battery
Table of batteries

Category:Batteries