What are the uses of cadmium?
Until the mid-1900s, cadmium was used primarily as a leather tanning agent or as a pigment in dyes, but it was not widely used even in these applications. Today, cadmium is used primarily in rechargeable batteries, usually in combination with nickel or silver oxides (The term “Ni-Cad” or “Ni-Cd” refers to batteries containing nickel and cadmium.). Solar rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries have been used on space exploration missions, including the Magellan probe that explored the planet Venus. The use of cadmium in batteries accounts for roughly three quarters of the cadmium consumption in the United States. Since it is a disposable consumer product, Ni-Cad batteries also account for over half of the cadmium waste produced. Most consumer products contain sealed Ni-Cad batteries as opposed to the vented Ni-Cad batteries used in aircraft, buses and diesel locomotives, which emit a significant amount of cadmium to the environment. Because it does not react with alkali (basic) chemicals
Related Questions
- The cream lining of my Le Creuset casserole is showing three orange dots. Is this the cadmium showing through. Is it safe to use? I am aware of the cadmium scare in the 1970s where orange-lined Le Creuset lids were considered dangerous.
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- What are the uses of cadmium?
