History of Batteries

Baghad Battery

200

The first battery recorded to be invented, made between 250BC - 224AD. The artifacts consist of terracotta pots approximately 5 in tall containing a copper cylinder made of a rolled-up copper sheet, which houses a single iron or rod. At the top, the iron rod is isolated from the copper by bitumen plugs or stoppers, and both rod and cylinder fit snugly inside the opening of the jar, which bulges outward toward the middle. Discovered in 1938 by the German archeologist Wilhelm König and others.

Voltaic Pile

Jan 1, 1800

Alessandro Volta invented the Voltaic Pile and the First pratical way of generating electricity, around 1800. Constructed of alternating discs of zinc and copper with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine between the metals, the Voltic Pile produced electrical current. Alessandro Volta's voltaic pile was the first "wet cell battery" that produced a reliable, steady current of electricity.

Daniell Cell

Jan 1, 1836

The Voltaic Pile could not deliver an electrical current for a long period of time. John F. Daniell invented the Daniell Cell that used two electrolytes: copper sulfate and zinc sulfate. The Daniel Cell lasted longer then the Volta cell or pile. This battery, which produced about 1.1 volts, was used to power objects such as telegraphs, telephones, and doorbells, remained popular in homes for over 100 years.

Battery improvements

Period: Jan 1, 1839 to Jan 1, 1842

Inventors created improvements to batteries that used liquid electrodes to produce electricity. Bunsen (1842) and Grove (1839) invented the most successful.

Fuel Cell

Jan 14, 1839

William Robert Grove developed the first fuel cell, which produced electrical by combining hydrogen and oxygen.

1859 Rechargable

Jan 1, 1859

French inventor, Gaston Plante developed the first practical storage lead-acid battery that could be recharged. This type of battery is primarily used in cars today.

1866 Leclanche Carbon-Zinc Cell

Jan 1, 1866

Georges Leclanche patented the carbon-zinc wet cell battery called the Leclanche cell. Georges Leclanche then further improved his design by substituting the ammonium chloride paste for liquid electrolyte and invented a method of sealing the battery, inventing the first dry cell, an improved design that was now transportable.

Commercial Dry cell Battery

Jan 1, 1881

Carl Gassner invented the first commercially successful dry cell battery (zinc-carbon cell).

Thiebaut battery

Jan 14, 1881

J.A. Thiebaut patented the first battery with both the negative electrode and porous pot placed in a zinc cup.

The First nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery

Jan 1, 1889

Waldmar Jungner invented the first nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery.

1901 Alkaline Storage

Jan 1, 1901

Thomas Edison invented the first Alkaline Storage battery. Using Iron as an anode (-) material and Nicklic Oxide as a cahtode (+) material.

1949 Alkaline-Manganese Battery

Jan 1, 1949

Everedy invents a new, small sized, alkline battery that has a lifespan of six to eight times of a plain Alkline battery.

Hearing Aid Batteries

Jan 1, 1955

Eveready introduces the first mini batteries for hearing aids.

Eveready 9-volt batteries

Jan 15, 1956

Eveready produces the first 9-volt battery. Commonly used in smoke alarms today.

Eveready Watch Battery

Jan 1, 1957

Eveready introduces the first commercial watch battery.

Eveready Cylindrical Alklkine Battery

Jan 1, 1959

First commercialy avaliable cylindrical alklkine battery. Revolutionized portable power.

Energizer Lithium Battery

Jan 1, 1992

Energizer inroduces the world first Lithium AA battery. Very long lasting.

Lithium-ion Polymer rechargable batteries

Jan 1, 1999

Lithium-ion Polymer rechargeable batteries are commercially produced.