Abstract
Pb-Ca-Sn alloys are used as grids in lead-acid batteries with Ca concentrations that range from 0.03-0.05 wt.%. Grids that contain 0.03 wt.% Ca have been proven to be resistant to corrosion, making them the ideal alloys for positive and negative grids of stationary batteries. Additives such as Sn have been added to improve the corrosion resistance, the electrochemical and the mechanical properties of the battery. This study aims to determine the effect of Sn coating on the corrosion behavior and the service life of Pb-Ca-Sn grids. The corrosion behavior was determined using weight loss method. Three batteries, each one composed of six corrosion cells, were prepared. Four positive plates, namely one control grid and three experimental grids, comprise each corrosion cell. The grids were submerged in sulfuric acid (H2SO4) with a specific gravity of 1.28 and charged with 1.25 A. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was used to determine the composition of the grids and surface morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 95% confidence level, suggests that the amount of Sn coating significantly affects the corrosion behavior of the grids. Results show that corrosion resistance of grids greatly improves with increasing thickness of Sn coating.
Highlights
The Pb-Ca-Sn, Pb-Ca and Pb-Sn grids are the three types of grids that comprise the entire maintenance-free valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries
This study focuses on the effect of Sn coating on the corrosion behavior of Pb-Ca-Sn grids
The effect of Sn coating on the corrosion behavior of the Pb-Ca-Sn grids was determined using the weight loss method
Summary
The Pb-Ca-Sn, Pb-Ca and Pb-Sn grids are the three types of grids that comprise the entire maintenance-free valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries. The corrosion of these grids is one of the major problems in the battery industry because it shortens the battery life [1]. In lead-acid batteries, the addition of As, Sn, and Ag reduces the corrosion rate. Alloying Sn to Pb-Ca improves the electrochemical and the mechanical properties of the grids, as well as the corrosion rate and the structure of the alloy. Since the grids are exposed to corrosive industrial environment, tin coating with thickness within 2.54-15.24 microns is to be deposited [9]. The mechanical properties as well as the economic-related concerns of tin-coated grids were not investigated
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