Voltaic Pile was the first battery of the modern world. Battery, in plain words, is a source of continuous electrical power. Voltaic Pile was the first invention that could provide such power. It was invented by the Italian scientist Alessandro Volta. His findings were first published by the London Royal Society in 1800.
Background
Volta’s contemporary, the physician and physicist Luigi Galvani, proposed the phenomena of “animal electricity” in the early 1790s. Volta disagreed with it and conducted many experiments to support his own theories. In the process of experimentation he ended up making what was later called “Voltaic Pile.”
Metallic Electricity
Volta believed that electricity could be generated if two different metals came in contact with a moist surface. He called this metallic electricity as opposed to Galvani’s animal electricity. And he was proved right when he finally built his “electric organ.” Yes, that was the name Volta gave his invention!!
Voltaic Pile
Volta took two discs of zinc and copper and placed a disc of cloth (or pasteboard) moistened with brine solution (or vinegar) in between them. He piled six such sets of three discs and connected the topmost and lowermost discs with a copper wire. This arrangement produced a continuous current of electricity. He could also increase or decrease the current by increasing or decreasing the number of 3-disc sets, called cells, respectively.
Uses of Voltaic Pile in the 19th Century
Voltaic pile became popular among the scientists as well as common people instantly. Sir Humphry Davy and Andrew Crosse were two people to develop huge voltaic piles. Voltaic piles quickly became power source in laboratories for experiments. It was used for electrolysis of water for the first time. Sir Humphry Davy also used the Voltaic Piles to isolate five new elements, namely, Boron, Barium, Calcium, Magnesium and Strontium.
Drawbacks of Voltaic Pile
Despite being a breakthrough invention in its time, the voltaic pile had drawbacks of its own. If large number of cells were piled, the brine solution of lower piles got squeezed, decreasing current production. Another drawback was that the metals discs corroded quickly in the presence of brine solution.
These drawbacks led Volta himself and other scientists to experiment with dry piles, which eventually led to the invention of modern dry cell.
Voltaic Piles were the precursor to modern wet cells, dry cell, or any other cells we use today for our daily chores. Now you will surely think of Volta and his piles whenever you change or recharge your batteries.
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Alessandro Volta
