The Chromic acid cell was a type of

primary cell A primary battery or primary cell is a battery (a galvanic cell) that is designed to be used once and discarded, and not recharged with electricity and reused like a secondary cell (rechargeable battery). In general, the electrochemical reaction ...

which used

chromic acid The term chromic acid is usually used for a mixture made by adding concentrated sulfuric acid to a dichromate, which may contain a variety of compounds, including solid chromium trioxide. This kind of chromic acid may be used as a cleaning mixt ...

as a

depolarizer A depolarizer or depolariser, in electrochemistry, according to an IUPAC definition, is a synonym of electroactive substance, i.e., a substance which changes its oxidation state, or partakes in a formation or breaking of chemical bonds, in a ch ...

. The chromic acid was usually made by acidifying (with sulfuric acid) a solution of

potassium dichromate Potassium dichromate, , is a common inorganic chemical reagent, most commonly used as an oxidizing agent in various laboratory and industrial applications. As with all hexavalent chromium compounds, it is acutely and chronically harmful to healt ...

. The old name for potassium dichromate was potassium bichromate and the cell was often called a Bichromate cell.Ayrton, W.E. and Mather, T. ''Practical Electricity'', Cassell and Company, London, 1911, pp 185-187 This type of cell is now only of historical interest.

History

Construction

The main elements of the cell were: *

Anode An anode is an electrode of a polarized electrical device through which conventional current enters the device. This contrasts with a cathode, an electrode of the device through which conventional current leaves the device. A common mnemoni ...

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic t ...

* Electrolyte, dilute sulfuric acid * Depolarizer, chromic acid *

Cathode A cathode is the electrode from which a conventional current leaves a polarized electrical device. This definition can be recalled by using the mnemonic ''CCD'' for ''Cathode Current Departs''. A conventional current describes the direction i ...

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon makes ...

The cell was made in two forms - the single-fluid type, attributed to Poggendorff and the two-fluid type, attributed to Fuller. In both cases, cell

voltage Voltage, also known as electric pressure, electric tension, or (electric) potential difference, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge t ...

was about 2

volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference ( voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). D ...

Poggendorff cell

The cell was set up in a long-necked glass bottle with a zinc plate located between two carbon plates. The electrolyte and depolarizer were mixed. The mixture would dissolve the zinc plate even when the cell was not in use, so there was a mechanism for lifting the zinc plate out of the liquid and storing it in the neck of the bottle.

Fuller cell

The cell was set up in a glass, or glazed earthenware, pot. This contained the chromic acid solution, the carbon plate and a porous pot. Inside the porous pot was dilute sulfuric acid, the zinc rod, and a small quantity of mercury. The mercury formed an amalgam with the zinc and this reduced "local action", i.e. unwanted dissolution of the zinc when the cell was not in use.

References

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