Hydrogel Leclanche Cell: Construction and Characterization

Abstract

A liquid-to-gel based Leclanch\'e cell has been designed, constructed, and characterized for use in implantable medical devices and other applications where battery access is limited. This well-established chemistry will provide reliable electrochemical potential over a wide range of applications and the novel construction provides a solution for the re-charging of electrodes in hard to access areas such as an internal pacemaker. The traditional Leclanch\'e cell comprised of zinc (anode) and manganese dioxide (cathode), conductive carbon powder (acetylene black or graphite), and aqueous electrolyte hydrogel (NH4Cl and ZnCl2) has been suspended in an agar hydrogel to simplify construction while maintaining electrochemical performance. Agar hydrogel, saturated with electrolyte, serves as the cell support and separator allowing for the discharged battery suspension to be easily replaced once exhausted.