There are batteries which contain zinc chloride as the electrolyte. Would this be suitable to use?
Also, SWIC carried out an experiment. An ozzy 5c coin (The 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c coins are made of 75% copper and 25% nickel) was dropped in a little dilute HCl and boiled away on a hotplate for 10 mins. As the water level dropped and the solution heated, bubbles appeared on the surface of the coin and the HCl turned a very dark purple/blue colour. The acid was boiled off, the beaker cooled and cold water added. It appears that the surface of the coin was eaten away by the acid. The aussie 5c coin looks like this (http://www.ramint.gov.au/making_coins/coin_designs.cfm (http://www.ramint.gov.au/making_coins/coin_designs.cfm)
) and that silvery metal exterior was corroded by the acid and remained as an insoluble solid in the water. Whats left is a copper coloured coin. So im assuming that the acid removed the nickel plating on the copper coin. Why didnt it react to form NiCl2? Should SWIC remove the nickel plating like this and then leave the nickel bits in a conc HCl solution for several days to yield NiCl2?
ps- yes i know it is fucking sad to bee scrounging around for reagents like this... sorta funny... :P
From what year are US pennies zinc?
according to http://www.1728.com/projects.htm (http://www.1728.com/projects.htm)
the switchover to copper plated zinc occured in 1982.
after your friend finishes there little cooking project, they will need this site http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/money/coloring/penny.shtml (http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/money/coloring/penny.shtml)
a print out of a penny they can color in with their crayons! ;D