Dry battery

Lore & Background

Carl Gassner obtained a German patent (No. 37,758) in 1887 for a variant of the wet Leclanché cell, which became known as the dry cell because it lacked free liquid electrolyte. He mixed ammonium chloride with Plaster of Paris to create a paste, adding zinc chloride to extend shelf life. The manganese dioxide cathode was dipped in this paste, and both were sealed in a zinc shell that also served as the anode. In November 1887, Gassner received U.S. patent 373,064 for the same device.

In Japan during the Meiji Era of 1887, Sakizō Yai also invented a dry battery. However, because Yai lacked sufficient money to file a patent, the first patent holder of a battery in Japan was Takahashi Ichisaburo. Wilhelm Hellesen also invented a dry battery in 1887 and obtained U.S. patent 439,151 in 1890.

The first mass-produced model was the Columbia dry cell, marketed by the National Carbon Company in 1896. The NCC improved Gassner's design by replacing Plaster of Paris with coiled cardboard, which left more space for the cathode and made the battery easier to assemble.

Reader's Guide

The dry battery's significance lies in its transformation of portable electrical devices. Unlike previous wet cells, which were fragile glass containers with liquid electrolytes that required careful handling, Gassner's dry cell was more solid, required no maintenance, did not spill, and could be used in any orientation. It provided a potential of 1.5 volts. The zinc–carbon cell, as it came to be known, is still manufactured today. The dry cell's paste electrolyte allowed only enough moisture for current to flow, making it suitable for portable equipment. While wet cells continued to be used for high-drain applications like starting internal combustion engines, the dry cell became the standard for consumer electronics. The National Carbon Company's improvements in 1896 made the battery easier to assemble and more efficient, cementing its role as the first convenient battery for the masses and making portable electrical devices practical.

Did You Know?

• Carl Gassner obtained a German patent for the dry cell in 1887 and a U.S. patent in November 1887.
• Sakizō Yai invented a dry battery in Japan in 1887 but could not afford to file a patent.
• The first mass-produced dry cell was the Columbia dry cell, marketed by the National Carbon Company in 1896.
• The original Gassner dry cell provided a potential of about 1.5 volts, just like modern alkaline cells.