Electrodeposition of Pb and PbO2 on Graphite Felt in Membraneless Flow-Through Reactor: A Method to Prepare Lightweight Electrode Grids for Lead-Acid Batteries.

Arminas Ilginis,Egidijus Griškonis,Nerita Žmuidzinavičienė

doi:10.3390/ma14206122

Abstract

One of the possible ways of mitigating the primary lead-acid battery downside—mass— is to replace the heavy lead grids that can add up to half of the total electrode’s mass. The grids can be exchanged for a lightweight, chemically inert, and conductive material such as graphite felt. To reduce carbon surface area, Pb/PbO2 can be electrochemically deposited on graphite felt. A flow-through reactor was applied to enhance penetration of adequate coverage of graphite felt fibers. Three types of electrolytes (acetate, nitrate, and methanesulfonate) and two additives (ligninsulfonate and Triton X-100) were tested. The prepared composite electrodes showed greater mechanical strength, up to 5 times lower electrical resistivity, and acted as Pb and PbO2 electrodes in sulfuric acid electrolytes.

Highlights

Lead-acid battery (LAB) is one of the most mature electrochemical energy storage technologies [1] and has been used for automotive applications for over 100 years
The electrochemical processes, which occurred on the surface of Graphite felt (GF) anode and cathode during electrodeposition in the abovementioned acidic electrolytes containing Pb(II) ions, are well known and thoroughly investigated [24], and can be described by the following reaction equations: Cathodic processes:
The results of the investigation of electrochemical modification of graphite felt in acetate, nitrate, and methanesulfonate electrolytes, without or with ligninsulfonate or Triton X-100 additives, revealed that the best result for deposition of Pb was accomplished by using methanesulfonate electrolyte with ligninsulfonate

Summary

Introduction

Lead-acid battery (LAB) is one of the most mature electrochemical energy storage technologies [1] and has been used for automotive applications for over 100 years. With increasing demand for hybrid and electric vehicles, requirements for automotive batteries have escalated. To accommodate LABs for hybrid/electric vehicles, researchers have introduced increased amounts of carbon additives to negative active mass. These graphitic or carbon materials can increase charge acceptance, reduce sulfation, and improve performance at a partial state of charge. [9,10,11] These composite electrodes promise reduced weight and higher charge acceptance; self-discharge and parasitic hydrogen evolution reactions have been observed when increased amounts of carbon additives have been used in a negative electrode [12]. To increase the quality of the deposited layer, an additive can be used, such as sodium ligninsulfonate or Triton X-100 [16]

Methods

Results

Conclusion