{"id":33458,"date":"2023-09-12T18:46:37","date_gmt":"2023-09-12T16:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b1809b46-7458-44f8-a718-b5069e7ed6b3"},"modified":"2023-09-12T19:46:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T17:46:13","slug":"the-strange-science-of-why-old-batteries-leak","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/the-strange-science-of-why-old-batteries-leak\/","title":{"rendered":"The strange science of why old batteries leak"},"content":{"rendered":"

The chemicals inside batteries which produce electricity also produce hydrogen which can cause the seal to break. <\/p>

By Luis Villazon\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 12 September 2023 at 16:46 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Batteries generate electricity by chemical reactions that move electrons from one terminal to the other. Ordinary alkaline batteries use a potassium hydroxide gel as the conductive electrolyte, and the reactions in the gel generate a small amount of hydrogen gas.<\/p>

Since the battery is sealed, the pressure in the cell gradually builds and eventually causes tiny ruptures along the seams of the metal casing. The potassium hydroxide reacts with CO_{2<\/sub>\u00a0in the air to form a harmless crust of potassium carbonate,\u00a0but the potassium hydroxide itself is caustic and can cause skin irritation. Take your leaking batteries to the recycling centre in a plastic bag.\u00a0<\/p>}