Abstract

IEC TR 60086-7:2026, which is a technical report, provides a procedure to indirectly assess coin cells for their potential to cause internal injury if ingested.

Status
Published
Publication Date
04-Oct-2026
Drafting Committee
MT 15 - TC 35/MT 15
Current Stage
PPUB - Publication issued
Start Date
05-Oct-2026
Completion Date
24-Jul-2026

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Technical report

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 - Primary batteries - Part 7: Coin/lithium button cell saline soak test simulating cell ingestion

ISBN:978-2-8327-1341-9
Release Date:05-Oct-2026
English language (12 pages)
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The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Report IEC TR 60086-7:2026 covers a saline soak test for coin cells and lithium button cells. It gives a procedure to indirectly assess whether a cell could cause internal injury if it is ingested, by measuring how the cell behaves in physiological saline. The report is aimed at battery makers, equipment designers, standards writers, and others who need a technical way to compare ingestion-related behavior.

What does IEC TR 60086-7:2026 specify?

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 specifies a procedure for indirectly assessing coin cells for their potential to cause internal injury if ingested. The document is organized into scope, normative references, terms and definitions, the saline soak test, an example of execution, and an assessment section, followed by a bibliography.

The method uses consumed capacity after soaking in saline as an indicator of the discharge reaction that can occur in the body. In practice, that gives readers a repeatable laboratory way to compare cell designs and to support development work on reduced-harm battery technology.

What are the key requirements of IEC TR 60086-7:2026?

Safety, accuracy, and preparation

Clause 4.1 warns that the test can cause injury if precautions are not taken. It calls for protective equipment and for alerting people nearby, which matters because the soaked cell and solution can become highly alkaline.

Clause 4.2 sets tolerances for the controlled and measured values, including voltage, current, temperature, time, dimensions, capacity, and saline volume. In practice, this means the laboratory needs calibrated equipment and careful handling of the saline dose and timing.

Clause 4.3 and Table 1 list the items used in the test, including undischarged CR2032 cells, a Petri dish with lid, filter paper, saline solution, a graduated cylinder, wet and dry cloths, and a 15 kΩ constant discharge resistance. The discharge step refers to the service output test conditions in IEC 60086-2-2:2026, so the comparison is made under a defined electrical load.

Test conditions and sequence

Clause 4.4 states the ambient temperature used for the test as 20 °C ± 5 °C. That keeps the test conditions controlled enough for comparison between laboratories.

Clause 4.5 gives the test sequence: place the cell negative side down on filter paper, add 4.5 ml of saline, cover the dish, soak for 3 h, wipe the cell clean, then discharge it and determine the residual capacity. The result is compared with unsoaked cells to calculate consumed capacity, so readers get a direct measure of how much the soaking condition changed the cell.

Interpretation of results

Clause 5 gives an example of execution, including video references and a sample result summary. It shows that the procedure was run by three companies and that the results were repeatable for CR2032 cells of the same brand and lot.

Clause 6 explains the limits of the method. IEC TR 60086-7:2026 is informative, not a pass/fail standard, and it states that no pass/fail criteria are defined. It also notes that shape, orientation, size, age, and future design features can affect results, so the method is a screening and development tool rather than a complete biological model.

What terms does IEC TR 60086-7:2026 define?

  • Cell - The basic functional unit that converts chemical energy directly into electrical energy.
  • Battery - One or more electrically connected cells fitted in a case with terminals and other needed devices.
  • Coin cell - A small round cell or battery with overall height less than diameter and a non-aqueous electrolyte; the document also uses the terms coin battery, lithium button cell, and lithium button battery.
  • Rated capacity - The capacity declared by the manufacturer under specified conditions.
  • Depth of discharge - The percentage of rated capacity that has been discharged.
  • Undischarged - The state of a primary cell or battery at 0 % depth of discharge.
  • Risk - The combination of the probability of harm and the severity of that harm.
  • Protective devices - Devices such as fuses, diodes, or current limiters that interrupt, block, or limit current flow.

Who uses IEC TR 60086-7:2026?

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 is intended mainly for battery manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, designers, standard writers, and consumer organizations. They use it to compare coin cell designs, evaluate ingestion-related behavior, and write or review safety-related requirements.

It may also help medical professionals, educational authorities, users, and regulatory authorities. For those groups, the value is in understanding the test basis for discussions about coin cell injury risk and mitigation.

Which standards are used with IEC TR 60086-7:2026?

StandardWhat it contributes
IEC 60086-1:2026General primary battery terms and definitions used by the document.
IEC 60086-4:2025Safety context for lithium batteries.
ISO/IEC Guide 51:2014Safety terminology and principles used for the term “risk”.
IEC 60086-2-2:2026Service output test conditions for the discharge step in the procedure.
IEC 60086-5Referenced in the terminology note for button cell usage.

What does the IEC TR 60086-7:2026 document contain?

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 contains a cautionary notice, measurement tolerances, preparation details, a step-by-step saline soak procedure, and an example of execution. It also includes a formula for consumed capacity and an assessment section that discusses validity, conclusions, and reservations.

The document includes Figure 1 for the test setup, Figure 2 for discharge capacity distribution, Table 1 for the test items, and Table 2 for consumed capacity calculations from three companies. These elements support laboratory setup, comparison testing, and technical review of the method.

Buy Documents

Technical report

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 - Primary batteries - Part 7: Coin/lithium button cell saline soak test simulating cell ingestion

ISBN:978-2-8327-1341-9
Release Date:05-Oct-2026
English language (12 pages)
sale 15% off
Preview
sale 15% off
Preview

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Frequently Asked Questions

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 is a technical report published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its full title is "Primary batteries - Part 7: Coin/lithium button cell saline soak test simulating cell ingestion". This standard covers: IEC TR 60086-7:2026, which is a technical report, provides a procedure to indirectly assess coin cells for their potential to cause internal injury if ingested.

IEC TR 60086-7:2026, which is a technical report, provides a procedure to indirectly assess coin cells for their potential to cause internal injury if ingested.

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 29.220.10 - Primary cells and batteries. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.

IEC TR 60086-7:2026 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.

Standards Content (Sample)


IEC TR 60086-7 ®
Edition 1.0 2026-10
TECHNICAL
REPORT
Primary batteries -
Part 7: Coin/lithium button cell saline soak test simulating cell ingestion
ICS 29.220.10  ISBN 978-2-8327-1341-9

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CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 2
INTRODUCTION . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Saline soak test simulating cell ingestion . 6
4.1 Cautionary notice . 6
4.2 Parameter measurement tolerances . 7
4.3 Preparation . 7
4.4 Ambient temperature . 7
4.5 Test procedure. 8
5 Example of execution . 9
5.1 Actual operation . 9
5.2 Test result . 9
5.3 Test summary . 9
6 Assessment . 10
6.1 Validity of this test . 10
6.2 Conclusions and recommendations . 10
6.3 Reservations . 11
Bibliography . 12

Figure 1 – Saline soak test . 8
Figure 2 – Discharge capacity distribution . 9

Table 1 – Items used in the test . 7
Table 2 – Consumed capacity calculation in three companies . 10

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
Primary batteries -
Part 7: Coin/lithium button cell saline soak test simulating cell ingestion

FOREWORD
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
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9) IEC draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
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shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC TR 60086-7 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 35: Primary cells and batteries.
It is a Technical Report.
The text of this Technical Report is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
35/1597/DTR 35/1605/RVDTR
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this Technical Report is English.

This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
A list of all parts in the IEC 60086 series, published under the general title Primary batteries,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
– reconfirmed,
– withdrawn, or
– revised.
INTRODUCTION
Incidental ingestion of coin cells by infants has long been a social problem.
Coin cells are used in various household devices due to their size and convenience. In recent
years, in particular, the spread of compact devices has increased the opportunities for infants
to come into contact with coin cells in the home. The size and shape of coin cells are attractive
to young children, encouraging ingestion incidents.
Coin cells easily become lodged in the oesophagus due to their size and shape. When a coin
cell enters the body, a current flow via the body fluid occurs and a discharge reaction takes
place. This discharge causes electrolysis of body fluids and generates hydroxide ions. The
amount of hydroxide ions is proportional to the consumed capacity. As the concentration of
hydroxide ions increases, the body fluid becomes a strong alkaline solution. This can lead to
chemical burns, perforation of soft tissue, and, in severe cases, can cause death.
According to data from the US National Capital Poison Center, the percentage of serious
consequences (moderate, serious, or fatal) among mishaps responded to by cell medical
institutions has been on the rise since 2015. In addition, lithium coin cells with a diameter of
20 mm are easily jammed in the oesophagus, and of the 71 fatalities that have occurred in the
past, the CR2032 type has been the most common. The survey results from 1977 to 2022 are
available at https://www.poison.org/battery/fatalcases.
As one of the efforts to reduce incidents involving incidental ingestion of coin cells, the
development of technology to suppress the effects of incidental ingestion on the human body
is an issue for the future. However, at present, there is no method to quantitatively evaluate the
degree of effect on the living body, and thus the development of such technology has not
progressed.
In light of this situation, this test attempts to estimate the damage to a living body by measuring
the consumption and discharge capacity of a coin cell in physiological saline solution, simulating
the phenomenon that occurs in a living body.
This document is primarily intended to be used by
– battery manufacturers;
– equipment manufacturers;
– designers;
– standard writers;
– consumer organizations;
This document may also be of assistance to
– medical professionals;
– educational authorities;
– users;
– regulatory authorities.
1 Scope
This part of IEC 60086, which is a technical report, provides a procedure to indirectly assess
coin cells for their potential to cause internal injury if ingested.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of thi
...