Battery

A battery is an energy storage unit that stores energy from electricity and converts it back into electrical energy when needed to power devices through power. Today, as devices used across all areas of technology make life more comfortable and accessible, batteries have emerged as one of the fundamental components meeting the energy demands of these systems. With applications ranging from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems, batteries have become a fundamental element of modern life.

What Is a Battery?

A battery is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. A battery consists of three fundamental components: electrodes (anode and cathode), electrolyte, and separator like. Energy conversion occurs through ion transfer between the anode and cathode.

Batteries are primarily classified into two categories:

• Primary Batteries (Non-Rechargeable): Single-use only and cannot be recharged.
• Secondary Batteries (Rechargeable): Can be used across multiple charge-discharge cycles.

Battery Types and Technical Characteristics

Battery technologies vary depending on the application scenario. The table below presents a comparative overview of the technical characteristics of common battery types:

History and Technological Evolution

The history of the battery is rooted in scientific advancements related to the discovery and storage of electricity. Earliest structures resembling batteries date back to ancient times. The device, discovered in the 1930s in Iraq and known as the Baghdad Battery, is considered by some researchers to be a primitive battery, though definitive evidence remains absent. The real breakthrough began in 1800 with Alessandro Volta’s invention of the voltaic pile using zinc and copper plates. This was the first system capable of producing continuous electric current and expanded the applications of electricity.

In 1836, John Frederic Daniell improved Volta’s battery by developing the Daniell cell, which became widely adopted in telegraph networks. In 1859, Gaston Planté invented the first rechargeable battery, the lead-acid battery, laying the foundation for modern automotive batteries. In 1866, Georges Leclanché developed the dry cell, which became the basis for modern zinc-carbon batteries.

During the 20th century, batteries designed for portable devices began to emerge. The invention of lithium-ion batteries in the 1980s enabled high-efficiency energy storage for electronic devices and electric vehicles.

Today, research continues into solid state batteries and other innovative technologies on.

Technical Methods to Extend Battery Life

Battery performance varies depending on environmental conditions and usage habits. Many users complain about the shortening of battery lifespan. The most common concern is the rapid depletion of smartphone batteries. However, we must not forget that extending battery life is possible through simple yet effective practices users can adopt.

Visual information regarding the battery charging process.

1. Use Original Charging Devices: Compatible voltage and current values provide thermal protection.
2. Avoid Extreme Temperatures: Temperature is one of the most critical factors affecting battery life. In hot weather, phones often overheat and batteries drain rapidly. In cold weather, battery efficiency drops. Keeping phones away from extreme heat or cold improves battery health. (<0°C or >45°C)
3. Avoid Full Discharge and Maintain Charge Between 20% and 80%: The ideal range for optimal battery health is between 20% and 80%. Battery management systems are designed to operate most efficiently within this capacity range. Fully discharging or fully charging a battery can degrade its chemical structure.
4. Prefer Slow Charging: Fast charging raises temperature and damages electrode structure, potentially shortening lifespan. Charging slowly helps preserve battery health.
5. Reduce Use of Convenience Features: Power-consuming features such as GPS, Bluetooth, and screen brightness rapidly drain the battery. Activating these features only when necessary can help extend battery life.

Recycling and Environmental Impact

Batteries may contain heavy metals harmful to the environment, such as mercury, lead, nickel, and cadmium. Therefore, disposing of used batteries directly in household waste poses serious environmental risks. In Türkiye, the Portable Battery Producers and Importers Association (TAP), the authorized body on this matter, manages battery collection and transformation processes.

The battery recycling process proceeds as follows:

1. Collection: The first step is the proper collection of used batteries. Collection bins are placed in various locations such as homes, schools, workplaces, and public institutions. These bins ensure batteries are separated from general waste in a controlled manner.
2. Sorting: Once collected, batteries are classified at recycling facilities according to their chemical composition. For example, lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, and lead-acid batteries are separated into distinct groups based on their processing methods and constituent metals.
3. Processing: After sorting, batteries undergo various physical and chemical treatments. First, they are mechanically broken down. Then, thermal processes (heating at high temperatures) and chemical leaching techniques such as hydrometallurgy are applied. These methods allow the separation of battery components.
4. Recovery: Valuable metals such as cobalt, nickel, lithium, and lead are purified and recovered from the processed materials. These metals can be reused without requiring extraction from natural sources.
5. Reuse: The recovered metals are used as raw materials in new battery production processes. This approach protects the environment and achieves significant economic resource savings.

Battery technologies have evolved beyond merely enabling the operation of electronic devices; they have become one of the foundational pillars of sustainable energy systems. Thanks to high energy density, long cycle life, and advanced management systems, batteries form the sustainable basis for mobility, renewable energy, and digitalization. Efficient use of these technologies, along with minimizing environmental impact and managing recycling processes, is the shared responsibility of both users and manufacturers.

In the energy infrastructure of the future, batteries are expected to play a role as critical as oxygen and carbon.