Recycling batteries is a great way to be environmentally responsible. A battery contains a lot of chemicals and materials that are not only harmful to the environment but also to people and animals.
This is why you should learn how you can harvest the chemicals that are in used dry cell batteries so you can help recycle them. Both the reactive materials and the exterior of the battery can be recycled. The inner parts can be used by chemists while the outer parts can go to the local recycling plants.
Take note that this tutorial is intended only for a zinc-carbon dry cell battery. Other type of batteries (e.g. alkaline-type cell) have a different internal construction so they should be dismantled differently. Not only that, zinc-carbon cells contain chemicals that are much safer to handle.
What you will need:
- D cell, zinc-carbon or zinc-chloride battery
- Coffee filter
- Wax paper
- 11 hobby knife and spare blades
- Scissors
- Hammer
- Mortar and pestle
- Flathead screwdriver (small)
- Pliers
- Work gloves
- Stainer
- Tray
What you need to do:
- Set up your work area by placing a tray on a table. Layer it with a wax paper and place the D cell battery on top. The tray and wax paper should be able to catch the manganese dioxide powder that might get loose while the battery is being taken apart.
- Remove the outer case of the battery using the flathead screwdriver. Put on gloves to protect your skin from the chemicals in the battery and the hard edge of the outer metal casing. Start from the negative terminal of the cell and insert the small flathead screwdriver under the casing’s rim. Look for the seam at the side and start from there. It is crimped against the bottom of the gasket so you should be able to insert the screwdriver in. Once you have pried a section of the rim, it should be easy to remove the rest – going down along the seam to open the metal casing. When the whole seam is open, get pliers and unwrap the cell. Underneath is the zinc anode “can” that is wrapped by a plastic liner. The top gasket may also come loose once you remove the casing. If it does not, you can pry that off later on.
- Remove the plastic liner with the use of the sharp knife. Cut the side of the plastic and peel it off. This may remove the steel bottom terminal of the gasket at the bottom.
- If it did not come off when the metal casing was removed, use the flathead screwdriver to pry the top metal terminal. Underneath that, is a plastic shield that has a carbon rod protruding from it. This rod is sealed with the use of some asphalt. Remove the plastic shield using the screwdriver to pry it off. Once the plastic shield is off, you will see a paper washer. Get the blade of a hobby knife to spear it and lift it out of the cell. A damp black powder will be exposed. This is the manganese dioxide.
- Use a sharp pair of scissors to cut through the zinc can. Start cutting at the exposed rim and work your way down the cell. There is a paper wrapper under this zinc can – peel it off. It is the last layer before the black cathode powder. All that is left now is the manganese dioxide and the carbon rod sticking out.
- Remove the carbon rod by breaking the lump of manganese dioxide. Use a hammer to break it open. Scrape off the remaining black powder from the rod and set it aside.
- Moisten the manganese dioxide to lessen the airborne dust while grinding. This can be hazardous when inhaled. Transfer it to the mortar – lifting the wax paper lining to make sure all the pieces are transferred. Carefully grind the manganese dioxide by doing small yet strong circular motions. This will keep it from being airborne. When it is the same consistency as coarsely ground coffee, transfer it to the coffee filter. Wash the manganese dioxide with hot water to remove the residual salts.
What to do with the chemicals and parts:
When taking out the parts and chemicals while recycling batteries, it is important to note their uses:
- Manganese dioxide can be used to generate oxygen gas from hydrogen peroxide.
- Zinc can can be used to generate hydrogen gas when it reacts to acid. Wash any residue with warm water.
- Carbon rod can be cleaned by wet sanding it. It will help activate the rod so it can be used as an electrode.
- Steel casing and the top and bottom terminals can be recycled like soup cans.
- Plastic liner, top gasket and the other plastic materials can be recycled like the other household plastics.
- Paper gasket, wrapper and washer can be added to paper recycling streams.
Related Articles:
How to Recycle Different types of Batteries?
