Alkaline manganese cell
Pila alcalina de manganeso
- Date
- 1955-1959 · confidence medium
- Place
- Parma, Ohio, United States
- Credited to
- Lewis Urry (Eveready/Union Carbide)
- Field
- Matter & energy
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A cell with powdered zinc and manganese dioxide in a potassium hydroxide electrolyte, lasting several times longer than the carbon-zinc dry cell. It became the general-purpose disposable battery.
Urry developed it in 1955-57 at Eveready's Parma plant; alkaline ideas existed earlier (Jungner, Edison) and Union Carbide marketed it in 1959. Exact authorship is debated.
What it led to
- AA and AAA cells for toys, remotes and torches
- rechargeable alkaline cells (Kordesch)
- portable consumer electronics