Effect of Additives on the Performance of Lead Acid Batteries

Abstract

Effect of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and carbon additives in the respective positive and negative material properties and the influence on the performance of the battery were investigated. The electrode samples were characterized by BET (Brunauer Emmett Teller), XRD (X-ray diffractometer), SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) to understand the surface area, phase, structure, morphology and electrical conductivity of the respective electrode material. The surface area was obtained as 2.312 m 2 ·g -1 and 0.892 m 2 ·g -1 , respectively for 12% of activated carbon in the expander of negative and 0.70% of TiO 2 (Titanium dioxide) in the PAM (positive active material). The structural analysis reveals an increase in the tetrabasic lead sulfate and also evidenced by well grown crystals in the PAM with the TiO 2 , respectively obtained by XRD and SEM techniques. The impedance spectra analysis shows an increase of electrical conductivity of negative active mass with temperature. The battery results showing two fold enhancements in the charge acceptance were attributed to the high surface area activated carbon in the NAM (negative active material). The materials properties of electrodes and their influence on the battery performance were discussed.