Ok, I made the post about the possibility of growing a crystal from a corroded battery with no response so I will do the experiment myself but I need to know exactly what causes a battery to corrode. I have had batteries sit in something for ages and nothing happens while other times they corrode like crazy. What I always believed is that the batteries leak causing this is that true? How could I speed up corrosion of a battery? Once I figure out how to corrode a battery I can go from there to try to grow the crystals that form on the corroded battery.

are you talking about the outer part of the battery which is corroding?? the most outer layer of a battery is made from steel right? Although the steel might be coated with certain materials for surface protection, corrosion still can occur. There are so many causes for corrosion.

 

speed up corrosion can be done in many ways.. for example, you can refer to Potential-pH diagram a.k.a Pourbaix Diagram

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pourbaix_diagram

yeah I guess that is what I'm talking about but it only happens if you leave the battery in the device for too long inactive. Crystals start to form on it as, I guess, the acids leak out to cause it

your guess may be right, my little brother once play with an old battery (dry cell) and got his eyes turns red after he rub with his hand..