[ ♫ - Intro Music Plays -]
In order to find graphite electrodes, you need to buy and make sure that the batteries are carbon zinc
Alkaline batteries will not work
I also recommend wearing gloves, because the process is dirty
I begin by taking the packaging apart and looking for a way to disassemble the batteries
The cylinder batteries have an outer steel wrapper that can easily be twisted apart at the seam using a pair of pliers
With the wrapper taken off, I removed both end caps and the plastic protection sheet
Then, using the same pliers I gently take out the carbon graphite electrode by twisting and pulling
I wipe it down with a paper towel
I repeat the process for the second battery
For the 4.5 Volt square battery, I first remove the top cover revealing 3 identical smaller cylinder cells
I follow the same principle as for the larger batteries
The graphite electrodes in these batteries is much smaller but still useful
With the electrodes removed, I proceed to dump out the manganese oxide from within the batteries
This step is not necessary, but if you want some manganese oxide for other projects, this is a good source
However, please note that this manganese oxide will also contain a lot of carbon powder, usually graphite
If you want zinc metal, you can keep the bodies of the batteries
I then cleaned the electrodes and tested the conductivity and resistance
The electrodes also contain a wax layer on the surface
I remove it by three methods, the first of which is to run current through the electrode
This will of course melt the wax and create some wax smoke
The second method I used was to burn the wax off using a torch
The third removal method I tried was acetone. This was not very effective
You now have graphite electrodes, some manganese oxide and some zinc metal from the battery cans
