Question

An inventor proposes using a SHE (standard hydrogen electrode) in a new battery for smartphones that also removes toxic carbon monoxide from the air:

Anode:$\mathbf{C}\mathbf{O}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{)}\mathbf{+}{\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{O}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{l}\mathbf{)}\to \mathbf{C}{\mathbf{O}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{)}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{2}{\mathbf{H}}^{\mathbf{+}}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{q}\mathbf{)}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{2}{\mathbf{e}}^{\mathbf{-}}{\mathbf{E}}_{\mathbf{a}\mathbf{n}\mathbf{o}\mathbf{d}\mathbf{e}}^{{}^{\circ }}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{-}\mathbf{0}\mathbf{.53}\mathbf{V}$

Cathode:$\mathbf{2}{\mathbf{H}}^{\mathbf{+}}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{q}\mathbf{)}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{2}{\mathbf{e}}^{\mathbf{-}}\to {\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{)}{\mathbf{E}}_{\mathbf{c}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{t}\mathbf{h}\mathbf{o}\mathbf{d}\mathbf{e}}^{{}^{\circ }}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{0}\mathbf{V}$

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Overall:$\mathbf{C}\mathbf{O}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{)}\mathbf{+}{\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{O}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{l}\mathbf{)}\to \mathbf{C}{\mathbf{O}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{)}\mathbf{+}{\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{)}{\mathbf{E}}_{\mathbf{c}\mathbf{e}\mathbf{l}\mathbf{l}}^{{}^{\circ }}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{0}\mathbf{.53}\mathbf{V}$

Would this make a good battery for smartphones? Why or why not?

Short answer

This battery would not be ideal for smartphones.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Standard hydrogen electrode:

It serves as a reference electrode against which all electrode potentials are measured. When $1$atm-pressure hydrogen gas is adsorbed on a platinum electrode soaked in $1M$ HCl at ${25}^{\circ }C$, it is a typical hydrogen electrode with a potential of $E0=0$volt.

Find the ideal battery for the smartphone:

• This battery would not be ideal for smartphones because the usual voltage of smartphone batteries is between $1.25\mathrm{V}$ and $1.5\mathrm{V}$ this battery produces a voltage of $0.53\mathrm{V}$.
• However, given the right concentrations of reactants, a functioning battery can most probably be constructed.