The AA battery is the most widely used battery in the world and can be found in hundreds of thousands of devices. IEC codes for AA batteries include the popular LR6 for AA alkaline batteries and HR6 for NiMH rechargeable batteries. The typical voltage for these batteries is 1.5V, while rechargeable batteries typically provide 1.2V. Newer lithium AA batteries offer much higher capacity for a slightly higher price.
Introduced in 1907, the AA battery size was standardized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1947, but it had been used in flashlights and electrical novelties for some time before formal standardization. The ANSI and IEC battery nomenclature provides several designations for cells of this size, depending on the cell characteristics and chemistry. Each AA battery is 51 mm long and 14 mm in diameter.
AA batteries are available in various formats: alkaline, saline, long-life lithium, and rechargeable batteries of varying capacities. Alkaline AA batteries have a lifespan of approximately 6 years, while their lithium AA counterparts last up to 9 years before use. Rechargeable AA batteries are now available in NiMH with capacities up to 2850mAh and are also available in the new "pre-charged" technology that allows them to be used immediately.
