Voltammetric characteristics of smooth lead electrodes in sulfuric acid and Tydrolyte™ solutions part 1. the PbSO4/PbO2potential region

Abstract

The electrochemical behavior of a smooth lead electrode was compared in a 1.265 g•mL−1 commercial electrolyte replacement called Tydrolyte™ and a standard 1.265 g•mL−1 sulfuric acid solution in order to simulate the operating conditions of the positive grid of a lead-acid battery. Using potentiodynamic sweeps and cyclic voltammetry techniques in the entire potential region where the positive plate of the battery operates, it was found that for the lead-Tydrolyte electrode system the same reactions take place as for lead in sulfuric acid solution, i.e. the new electrolyte does not change the thermodynamics of the lead-sulfuric acid electrode system and no new, specific to Tydrolyte reactions are taking place – qualitatively, the new electrolyte is not different from a regular sulfuric acid solution. It was observed, however, that Tydrolyte lowers the formation and growth rate of the anodic layer on the smooth electrode (quite similar to the corrosion layer of battery grids), as well as the rate of the oxygen evolution reaction, i.e. it affects the kinetics of the electrode reactions and indicates the possible cause for water loss reduction in batteries.