a German scientist, invented in 1888 the first dry cell battery. Gassner used zinc as the container for the other elements as well as for the negative electrode. The electrolyte was absorbed in a porous material and the cell was sealed across the top. This cell was easy to handle and portable, thus becoming the modern carbon-zinc, general-purpose battery. Gassner was also the first to add zinc chloride to the electrolyte, which reduces the corrosion of zinc when the cell was idle and adding considerably to the cell’s useful life.