Battery chemistry guide
Letter prefixes encode chemistry systems. We never flatten “same size” into “same battery.”
Common letter systems
Household formats such as AA / AAA / 9V are size names that can appear in alkaline, lithium, NiMH, carbon-zinc and other chemistries. Do not force one chemistry onto those formats.
- CR — Lithium manganese dioxide
- Li-MnO2 · 3 V primary. Common coin cells (e.g. CR2032).
- BR — Lithium carbon monofluoride
- Li-CFx · 3 V primary. Same size class as many CR cells — not an automatic CR swap.
- LR — Alkaline zinc manganese dioxide
- Zn-MnO2 · 1.5 V primary. Button cells such as LR44 / LR1130.
- SR — Silver oxide zinc
- Zn-Ag2O · 1.55 V primary. Often size-twins of LR cells — different chemistry.
- ZA / PR — Zinc-air
- Zn-O2 · ~1.4 V primary. Hearing-aid tabs; not a sealed LR/SR twin.
- LIR — Lithium-ion rechargeable
- Li-ion · ~3.6 V rechargeable. Not a drop-in for primary CR of the same size.
- ML — Manganese lithium rechargeable
- MnLi · Rechargeable. Lookalike size to some CR coins — typed distinct.