Abstract: In developing mercury-containing inhibitors for zinc-manganese dry batteries, the authors have discovered a category of anodic type inhibitor which is quite effective in suppressing the corrosion of zinc during cell storage yet will not impede the dissolution of zinc during cell discharge. By d. c. polarization measurement and a. c. impedance analysis, the working mechanism of the inhibitors was revealed to be closely related to the adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on zinc surface at open-circuit potential. But once the cell is to discharge in a closed circuit, the molecules are rendered to desorb from the surface by the positive shift of the zinc electrode potential.

Key words: inhibitor, anodic type, zinc-manganese battery, non-mercurization