![]() What is Battery Acid?Īlkaline battery leakage is potassium hydroxide, and it’s an alkaline, not an acid. The gas is harmlessly released, but the rupture also provides an exit point for the battery cell’s chemical components. When batteries sit in unused devices for long periods, hydrogen can build up in the battery cell until the pressure causes the battery’s insulating seals to breach. Manufacturing defects can cause leakage, but by far, the most common reason for leaky batteries is a lack of use. Under regular use, an alkaline battery will not leak. If too much gas develops, the battery cell ruptures, releasing the white sticky substance we call battery acid. These reactions create hydrogen gas, which is usually not a problem. Let’s get the most obvious question out of the way first: why do batteries leak? Alkaline batteries generate power through chemical reactions within the battery cell. ![]() But why do batteries leak anyway? Can you recycle corroded batteries, and how can you clean battery corrosion when you find it? Why do batteries leak? You open the battery compartment for a remote or other device you haven't used in months only to find a crusty, chalky substance encrusted on the batteries and the surrounding area.Ī leaky battery can cause skin irritation, so it needs careful handling. The solution is easy: stop buying alkaline batteries and switch to USB rechargeable lithium-ion cells instead.Everyone has to deal with a leaky battery at some point. When they do, they create a terrible mess that isn't pleasant to clean up. Now you know why alkaline batteries leak. Our batteries might cost slightly more at checkout, but they are significantly less expensive when measured by total electrical output. Imagine how many alkaline batteries you would have to purchase to get the same amount of practical use. Our USB rechargeable batteries can be charged a thousand times or more. They are also better because they cost less in the long run. Given the fact that alkaline batteries can leak, lithium-ion batteries are often a better choice. You do not get the same pressure build up inside the case. Lithium-ion are considerably less prone to leakage compared to alkaline, because the liquid electrolyte inside is not prone to off-gassing. At any rate, a corroded case can leak potassium hydroxide just as it does in cases of breached seals. This occurs from the inside out, so there is no way to know the case is corroding until the battery starts leaking. ![]() There are occasions when a battery's case will actually corrode to the point of being breached. Any breach allows both hydrogen and potassium hydroxide – the liquid electrolyte – to escape. A leaking battery is generally one in which the seals have been breached. That's what happens when alkaline batteries leak.Īn alkaline battery's case is generally? Not always? tough enough to withstand off-gassing pressure. But if an alkaline battery sits too long, the pressure inside can eventually rupture the case. Over an alkaline battery's normal life, what we call ‘off-gassing’ isn't a problem. Every alkaline battery has a liquid electrolyte that breaks down over time.īreakdown leads to the release of hydrogen gas. An alkaline battery is essentially a steel case containing a number of chemical elements capable of producing an electrical charge through an internal reaction. To understand why alkaline batteries leak, you should probably know how they work. Disposable alkalines remain the old standby for the simple fact that they are cheap and dependable. That's not to say people don't still use alkaline batteries. Today however, the undisputed champ of the consumer battery market is the lithium-ion battery. You might also want to consider the number one way to stop leakage: buy rechargeable lithium-ion batteries instead.ĭisposable alkaline batteries used to be the only game in town. After that, you might want to stop and think about why alkaline batteries leak. Just wash your hands immediately and then clean the mess in the drawer. While the chemical that leaks from alkaline batteries can be irritating to the skin, it's not the end of the world. The back corner of your junk drawer is soaked with what you believe is battery acid.įirst things first, don't panic. Don't look now, but you've just discovered leaking alkaline batteries. Suddenly, your fingers make contact with a substance that feels kind of wet but slimy at the same time. You are searching through the junk drawer for a piece of lost treasure, maybe an old key chain.
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