Synthesis of zinc from spent zinc-manganese-carbon batteries and its application as sacrificial anodes in cathodic protection

Sadawy, M.M.; Fayed, Saad M.; Sharafedin, Hani E.

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2023.244874.8781

Synthesis of zinc from spent zinc-manganese-carbon batteries and its application as sacrificial anodes in cathodic protection

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Engineering, Mining and Pet. Dept., Nasr City, 11371, Cairo, Egypt.

10.21608/ejchem.2023.244874.8781

Abstract

The present study investigated the leaching of zinc from spent zinc manganese batteries in sulfuric acid solution and the synthesis of zinc anodes from the pregnant solution used for cathodic protection. The influences of acid concentration, liquid/solid ratio, stirring speed, and temperature on the dissolution rate were investigated. The leaching process of zinc from the batteries using sulfuric acid solutions achieved a high dissolution rate of approximately 97.3% within 60 minutes under specific conditions. The kinetic data for the leaching rate was analyzed and found to follow the chemical reaction-controlled process. Moreover, the electrochemical performance of the synthesized Zn anode obtained from the pregnant solution using electrodeposition and casting techniques was investigated. The results showed that the synthesized zinc anodes exhibited similar electrochemical performance to standard zinc anodes, with a current capacity of 736.23 A.h/Kg and an anodic efficiency of 89.79%. Further, the outcomes illustrated that the electrochemical performance of the synthesized Zn anode in artificial seawater is similar to the standard Zn anode and obeyed the NACE Standard RP0169 potential criteria for cathodic protection.

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