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Information & Learning Center
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Primary Cell or Disposable
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A primary cell is any kind of battery in which the electrochemical reaction is not reversible. A common example of a primary cell is the disposable battery. These batteries cannot be recharged due to the materials either or both the cathode or anode being consumed during power production.
*Note: Primary Cells have one set of electrodes, cathode for positive and anode for negative.*
These are your common non-rechargeable AA, AAA, D, C, and 9V batteries. They are cheaper than their rechargeable counterparts of the same size.
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Secondary or Rechargeable Batteries
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A rechargeable battery is a group of one or more secondary cells. Rechargeable batteries use electrochemical reactions that are electrically reversible and do not consume their materials to create power. They are a power storage system. Instead of the current being created by direct consumption of its materials, rechargeable batteries current comes from the flow of stored electrons. Once its store is exhausted its time to recharge. Each chemistry has its own recommended number of recharges.
Rechargeable batteries come in many different sizes and use different combinations of chemicals; Commonly used secondary cell chemistries are lead acid, nickel cadmium (NiCad), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Li-ion), and lithium ion polymer (Li-ion polymer).
*Note: Secondary Cells have two sets of electrodes. The positive electrode is the cathode on discharge and the anode on charge, and vice versa for the negative electrode. *
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