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Chemistry · Ch 5 — Electrochemistry

Nickel-Cadmium or NICAD storage cell

5.10.3

Nickel-Cadmium or NICAD storage cell

The nickel-cadmium cell is a secondary dry cell — in other words, it is a dry cell that can be recharged.

The anode of the NICAD storage cell is cadmium metal. The cathode is nickel(IV) oxide, NiO2\mathrm{NiO_2}, supported on Ni. The electrolyte solution is basic. The electrode reactions and the overall cell reaction are as follows:

Cd (s)+2 OH− (aq)⟶Cd(OH)2 (s)+2 e−(anodic oxidation)\mathrm{Cd\,(s) + 2\,OH^-\,(aq) \longrightarrow Cd(OH)_2\,(s) + 2\,e^-} \quad \text{(anodic oxidation)}

NiO2 (s)+2 H2O (l)+2 e−⟶Ni(OH)2 (s)+2 OH− (aq)(cathodic reduction)\mathrm{NiO_2\,(s) + 2\,H_2O\,(l) + 2\,e^- \longrightarrow Ni(OH)_2\,(s) + 2\,OH^-\,(aq)} \quad \text{(cathodic reduction)}

Cd (s)+NiO2 (s)+2 H2O (l)⟶Cd(OH)2 (s)+Ni(OH)2 (s)(overall cell reaction)\mathrm{Cd\,(s) + NiO_2\,(s) + 2\,H_2O\,(l) \longrightarrow Cd(OH)_2\,(s) + Ni(OH)_2\,(s)} \quad \text{(overall cell reaction)} …

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