Wrought lead-calcium-tin alloys for tubular lead/acid battery grids

Abstract

Lead/acid batteries with tubular grids for the positive electrodes give flatter discharge curves and higher cycle life than batteries using flat plates. Most tubular grids for motive-power batteries contain 9–11 wt.% antimony. Recently, alloys with 1–6 wt.% antimony have been used for reduced maintenance batteries. Sealed, valve-regulated batteries with tubular positive grids for motive power, telecommunications, and UPS service are produced from cast lead-calcium-tin alloys. While these alloys permit the construction of such batteries, cast PbCaSn alloys are significantly inferior to cast PbSb alloys in mechanical properties. Wrought PbCaSn alloys, when used for tubular grids, permit the application of maintenance-free alloys with mechanical properties comparable with, or higher than, those of high-antimony alloys. Wrought materials increase life due to the absence of casting defects. Wrought lead-calcium alloys also offer a dramatic improvement in creep and corrosion resistance compared with conventional cast, tubular, PbCaSn alloys, as well as superior conductivity to cast PbSb. Wrought PbCaSn alloys permit the production of tubular grids at high speed in shapes and forms that are difficult to produce from cast materials. These grid shapes can lead to higher performance, higher discharge-rate, tubular plates. This paper discusses the mechanical properties, grain structure, and corrosion behaviour of cast and wrought PbCaSn and PbSb alloys for tubular grids. It also suggests manufacturing techniques for high performance, wrought, tubular plates.