Get Zinc, Carbon Electrodes and MnO2 from a Lantern Battery

We get Zinc, Carbon Electrodes and Manganese dioxide from a lantern battery.

We'll be using all of these components in upcoming videos.

Zinc is a good metal for battery experiments:

Carbon electrodes are good for electrolysis.

Manganese dioxide will be used to make potassium permanganate.

[NurdRage]

yeah, the carbon rod will be the same, but the zinc will be corroded and the magnese dioxide will have partially converted into manganese (III) oxides. But still usable for the most part,

[NurdRage]

@uut0 The lead is in the manganese dioxide and in the zinc. the zinc is naturally contaminated with lead. The manganese dioxide got it's lead from the manufacturing process that used lead electrodes, a tiny amount of lead shavings come off when the manganese dioxide is separated from the electrode. A small amount of lead may also be natural depending on the source of MnO2.

You are not screwed, but don't do it again.

[Puffie]

another source of carbon electrodes are air-arc rods - they are copper-coated carbon used for gouging metal.

pretty much any welding supply store will have these.

[DELGOTHA]

PART 3:
This is an awesome tip and worked like a charm for me, to get the most out in gathering the MnO2, forget the screw driver, use the handle of a table spoon that you will not be able to ruturn to the kitchen so once in the lab it will never go back, anywho JAM THE HANDLE of the Table Spoon straight into the MnO2 while hugging the the side of the cell, works best this way, if you go in the middle it dont work, once at the bottom, pry the spoons handle towards the other wall and slide...

[pyropakman]

@NurdRage: Update: erosion is considerable, but you can filter it through. I'm in the process of making the manganous sulfate from one of your more recent videos, as a proof-of-concept experiment such that I can make my own, more stable anodes (as you have in the other video).

But that being said, a carbon rod works well as an anode. At 5 V and 700 mA, the part submerged in the liquid will wear away after a few days, but not egregiously so. For 3.00 for a battery, that's 75 cents per anode. :)

[AidanGieg]

If only lithium batteries were this easy to open...

[freakinrandom]

yes, idk about the electrolysis, i didn't even think about it yet. You can use graphite as an electrode. they do breakdown btw, you'll need the right voltage. I just did this btw, its really easy to do.

[Shablo]

Hey man, I am nowhere near being a nerd but this was pretty cool. I think im subscribing after I watch a few more of your vids. Keep it up it's interesting.

[haydenhayden]

King of random showed me this channel and I'm now a subscriber

[experimenter]

This is the only thing I've been able to do at home it was easy

[NurdRage]

I agree kipkay is great, i can't hope to beat him, but he doesn't do chemistry, so i gotta fill the gap.
As for the voice, i've put subtitles on most of the videos, you can turn those on and turn off the sound.

[NurdRage]

@zhmapper

I didn't forget, i have an upcoming purification where i explain the issue more thoroughly.

But yeah, i should have made a brief mention in this video the carbon was there.

[NurdRage]

Kaviaari's last video was 4 months ago, while dbc616 was two months ago and a promise to start again in September. If kaviaari should produce another video I will return him to the channel box. If dbc616 should renege on their promise to restart in September then he shall be removed. But until either of those conditions are met, the channel box make up shall remain as it is.

Being passionate about science doesn't help if they don't produce videos on a regular basis.

[sarowie]

He explained it in one of his later videos about lithium batteries: For pure chemicals, you should use a fresh one. The chemicals get used up when you drain you batteries.
Is there a risk when opening a fully charged one? Try to avoid shorting the zinc can and the carbon rod when extracting the rod with a metal tool.

[DFB_EDM]

Now I'm interested to see what Manganese Dioxide is used for...

[NurdRage]

Carbon rod is unaffected, manganese dioxide will be purer, and zinc will be thicker in a new battery.

[NurdRage]

@SmrtA55 An energizer lantern battery does not have 16-32 AA batteries.

[NurdRage]

Yeah, but those are so small that it might not be worth it. the rods might break or it might be too hard to scoop out the MnO2, but all the chemicals are still the same :)

[freakinrandom]

no, but the carbon rods in this video are used in a 1.5 volt battery. I'd start there. Also, i used 45 volts for electrolysis with graphite. It smoked in the air. I'd say you should start from around 1.5 volts to 12. 6v may also be good, as the rods came from a 6v battery. They shouldn't decompose tooo much btw. buy some salt and some mechanical pencil lead and try it out before you try it with whatever you want to use them for. It may vary depending on solution.

[TimothyOng]

cool, i always dismantle them but didnt know what it was...and it actually works with a double A battery too.