Bipolar Lead-acid Batteries Research Articles

Substrate materials and novel designs for bipolar lead-acid batteries: A review

• Advances in technologies of bipolar lead-acid batteries over the years. • Potential advanced materials for bipolar substrates. • Novel fabrication techniques for bipolar lead-acid batteries. • Future of bipolar lead-acid batteries. Despite lead-acid production facilities being quite appealing in terms of scale, cost, and recycling; low energy density positions the lead-acid battery at the bottom of the Ragone plot of electrochemical systems. Several industrial and academic research efforts are continuing for the past few decades for tapping its storage capacity by developing bipolar lead-acid batteries. However, bipolar architecture demands a lightweight bipolar substrate with excellent corrosion resistance and structural stability, which thereby presents challenges, namely leak-proof sealing and active paste adherence. Unresolved challenges are the reasons for the confinement of the bipolar lead-acid batteries to laboratory curiosity or laboratory prototypes for the past few decades. However, recently few inventors are successfully leading the way to overcome the age-old hurdles of technical challenges, commercial production, and long battery life. This article highlights recent advances as well as past inventions of bipolar lead-acid battery with respect to substrate material, designs, and sealing techniques.

High-performance porous lead/graphite composite electrode for bipolar lead-acid batteries

In general, thicker active material bipolar electrode's specific capacity and cycle life are very poor owing to its low bonding strength between the active material and the substrate and the diffusion rate of the sulfuric acid electrolyte inside the active material. In this paper, we synthesize a novel attached and porous lead/graphite composite electrode for bipolar lead-acid battery and can effectively solve these problems. The graphite/polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion is employed to improve the bonding strength and conductivity and the porous can provide electrolyte diffusion channels. The specific capacities of 2-mm thick positive active material at 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 C can attain 75.99, 58.98, 47.97, and 33.36 mAh·g−1. The discharge voltage platform is also relatively high and no rapid decline with increasing discharge rate. Furthermore, after 80 cycles, the specific capacity does not drop evidently. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temperature effect on electrochemical properties of Ti4O7 electrodes prepared by spark plasma sintering

In this paper, Magneli phase Ti4O7 powders were successfully synthesized and used to fabricate high quality Ti4O7 electrodes by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The micro-structure, conductivity and electrochemical properties of the Ti4O7 electrode were investigated respectively. Furthermore, temperature’s effect on the electrochemical properties of Ti4O7 working electrode was studied by the cyclic voltammetry measurements under strong sulfuric acid and alkaline conditions at different temperature to simulate actual operating temperature in various electrolyte such as in lead–acid or zinc–air batteries. The results showed that Ti4O7 electrodes prepared by SPS without doping of adhesives had high conductivity, favorable electrochemical activities in function of temperature and electrochemical stability under strong sulfuric acid and alkaline conditions. It would be feasible candidate to bipolar lead–acid battery and used as air cathodes in zinc–air batteries.

Modified titanium foil's surface by high temperature carbon sintering method as the substrate for bipolar lead-acid battery

Titanium foil can be a type of ideal material as the substrate for bipolar lead-acid battery. However, it can't be directly used because it can be oxidized in the high voltage and strong oxidizing conditions. In this paper, we coat the titanium suboxide on the titanium foil surface by means of the high temperature carbon sintering method for the improvement of corrosion resistance of titanium metal and use it as the substrate to bipolar lead-acid battery to study its effect on the battery performances. Modified titanium foils are characterized by SEM, XRD, corrosion resistance test and electronic conductivity test. The electrochemical properties of the bipolar lead-acid battery are investigated by constant current charge/discharge method. The results demonstrate that the titanium foil carbon-sintered at 800 °C for 2 h has the most excellent chemical stability and electronic conductivity. Initial specific capacities of positive active material of bipolar lead-acid battery with modified titanium as the substrate at 0.25C, 0.5C, 1C and 2C discharge rate are 99.29 mAh g−1, 88.93 mAh g−1, 77.54 mAh g−1, and 65.41 mAh g−1. After 50 cycles, the specific capacity of positive active material at 0.5C is 81.36 mAh g−1 and after 100 cycles, the specific capacity at 1C is 61.92 mAh g−1.

Study on titanium foil coated with partial reduction titanium dioxide as bipolar lead-acid battery's substrate

Pure titanium foil cannot be directly as the substrate for the bipolar lead-acid battery due to its surface oxidized into titanium dioxide in the cell cycle. The poor electronic conductivity of titanium dioxide will increase substrate's ohmic resistance and can affect the cell's electrochemical performances. In this paper, titanium foil's surface is coated with a lay of partial reduction titanium dioxide (TiO2−x) which has excellent chemical stability and high electronic conductivity by means of sol–gel method. Through XRD, SEM and four-probe test, it shows that the modified titanium's surface has the most superior crystal structure and morphology and the highest electronic conductivity in the sintering temperature of 800 °C. We subsequently assemble bipolar lead-acid batteries with Ti coated by TiO2−x as the substrate material. The batteries are discovered that when charged and discharged in 3.5 V–4.84 V at 0.5C the voltage between the charge and discharge voltage platform is 0.3 V, and the initial discharge specific capacity can reach 80 mAh g−1. When the current rate is up to 1C and 2C, the initial discharge specific capacity is 70 mAh g−1and 60 mAh g−1. After 100 cycles, the initial specific capacity only decreases 12.5%.

Lead–acid bipolar battery assembled with primary chemically formed positive pasted electrode

Abstract Primary chemically formed lead dioxide (PbO 2 ) was used as positive electrode in preparation of lead–acid bipolar batteries. Chemical oxidation was carried out by both mixing and dipping methods using an optimized amount of ammonium persulfate as a suitable oxidizing agent. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the weight ratio of β-PbO 2 to α-PbO 2 is more for mixing method before electrochemical forming. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to investigate charge transfer resistance of the lead dioxide obtained by mixing and dipping methods before and after electrochemical forming. Four types of bipolar lead–acid batteries were produced with: (1) lead substrate and conventional electroforming; (2) carbon doped polyethylene substrate with conventional electroforming; (3) carbon doped polyethylene substrate with chemical forming after curing and drying steps in oxidant bath, followed by electrochemical forming, and (4) carbon doped polyethylene substrate with primary chemical oxidation in mixing step, followed by conventional electroforming. The capacity and cycle-life tests of the prepared bipolar batteries were performed by a home-made battery tester and using the pulsed current method. The prepared batteries showed low weight, high capacity, high energy density and high power density. The first capacities of bipolar batteries of type 1–4 were found to be 152, 150, 180 and 198 mAh g −1 , respectively. The experimental results showed that the prepared 6 V bipolar batteries of type 1–4 have power density (per cell unit) of 59.7, 57.4, 78.46 and 83.30 mW g −1 (W kg −1 ), respectively.

Bipolar batteries based on Ebonex ® technology

Continuing work by Atraverda on the production of a composite-laminate form of the Ebonex ® material, that can be cheaply formulated and manufactured to form substrate plates for bipolar lead–acid batteries, is described. Ebonex ® is the registered trade name of a range of titanium suboxide ceramic materials, typically Ti 4O 7 and Ti 5O 9, which combine electrical conductivity with high corrosion and oxidation resistance. Details of the structure of the composite, battery construction techniques and methods for filling and forming of batteries are discussed. In addition, lifetime and performance data obtained by Atraverda from laboratory bipolar lead–acid batteries and cells are presented. Battery production techniques for both conventional monopolar and bipolar batteries are reviewed. The findings indicate that substantial time and cost savings may be realised in the manufacture of bipolar batteries in comparison to conventional designs. This is due to the fewer processing steps required and more efficient formation. The results indicate that the use of Ebonex ® composite material as a bipolar substrate will provide lightweight and durable high-voltage lead–acid batteries suitable for a wide range of applications including advanced automotive, stationary power and portable equipment.

The performance of Ebonex® electrodes in bipolar lead-acid batteries

Abstract Recent work by Atraverda on the production of an Ebonex® material that can be cheaply formulated and manufactured to form bipolar substrate plates for bipolar lead-acid batteries is described. In addition, data obtained by Atraverda from laboratory lead-acid batteries is presented indicating that weight savings of around 40% for a bipolar 36 V design (20 Ah capacity, 5 h rate, 9 kW) are potentially achievable in comparison to more conventional designs containing monopolar lead grids. Results indicate that their use as bipolar substrate materials will provide light-weight, long-lasting lead-acid batteries suitable for automotive, standby and power tool applications.

Electrochemical behaviour of barium metaplumbate as a lead carrier

Barium metaplumbate (BMP), known as a good electrical conductor, has been used as a matrix for the deposition of lead. This kind of electrode can be employed as a carrier and current collector in bipolar lead acid batteries.

Advanced bipolar lead–acid battery for hybrid electric vehicles

A large size 80 V bipolar lead acid battery was constructed and tested successfully with a drive cycle especially developed for a HEV. The bipolar battery was made using the bipolar plate developed at TNO and an optimised paste developed by Centurion. An empirical model was derived for calculating the Ragone plot from the results from a small size 12 V bipolar lead–acid battery. This resulted in a specific power of 340 W/kg for the 80 V module. The Ragone plot was calculated at t=5 and t=10 s after the discharge started for current densities varying from 0.02 to 1.2 A/cm 2. A further development of the bipolar lead–acid battery will result in a specific power of 500 W/kg or more. From the economic analysis we estimate that the price of this high power battery will be in the order of 500 US$/kWh. This price is substantially lower than for comparable high power battery systems. This makes it an acceptable candidate future for HEV.

00/00283 Development and testing of a bipolar lead-acid battery for hybrid electric vehicles

A 80V bipolar lead-acid battery was constructed and tested using Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) drive cycles. Drive cycles with a peak power of 6.7kW, equal to 1/5 of the total power profile required for the HEV studied, were run succesfully. Model calculations showed that the constructed 80V module, which is at the moment 2.5 times more heavy than required for the HEV operation studied, can be optimised to meet the requirements.

Bipolar lead/acid batteries: effect of membrane conductivity on performance

Bipolar lead/acid batteries offer the possibility of increased energy and power density. This paper presents the results of a theoretical and experimental study into the performance of a bipolar construction. A model that calculates the ohmic losses in a bipolar lead acid battery has been used to predict the cell voltage during discharge. The calculated discharge curves are in good agreement with experimental results obtained with a 6 V lead membrane bipolar prototype. In a second part the conductivity of the bipolar plates have been adjusted in the program to estimate its influence on battery performance.

Development and testing of a bipolar lead-acid battery for hybrid electric vehicles1Presented at 6th European Lead Battery Conference, Prague, 22–25 September 1998.1

An 80 V bipolar lead-acid battery was constructed and tested using hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) drive cycles. Drive cycles with a peak power of 6.7 kW, equal to 1/5 of the total power profile required for the HEV studied, were run successfully. Model calculations showed that the 80 V module constructed, which is at the moment 2.5 times heavier than required for the HEV operation studied, can be optimised to meet the requirements.

Global avionics in the future

The following topics are discussed: new batteries for old airplanes; new charge controls for lengthening battery life; fast methods for batteries charging; AC conductance measurement based battery testing; pulse power; bipolar lead-acid batteries vs supercapacitors; Ni electrode cells for spacecraft; worn-out battery disposal; recycling technology; vehicle batteries cost; high energy content batteries; and energy storage for electric utilities. >