A novel flow battery-A lead-acid battery based on an electrolyte with soluble lead(II) V. Studies of the lead negative electrode

• Published in: Journal of power sources 2008-05, Vol.180 (1), p.621-629
• Main Authors: PLETCHER, Derek, HANTAO ZHOU, KEAR, Gareth, LOW, C. T. John, WALSH, Frank C, WILLS, Richard G. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceptability; Applied sciences; Battery; Concentration (composition); Deposition; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electric batteries; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Electrodes; Electrolytes; Exact sciences and technology; Variability
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.02.024

The structure of lead deposits (approximately 1 mm thick) formed in conditions likely to be met at the negative electrode during the charge/discharge cycling of a soluble lead-acid flow battery is examined. The quality of the lead deposit could be improved by appropriate additives and the preferred additive was shown to be the hexadecyltrimethylammonium cation, C sub(16H) sub(3)3(CH sub(3)) sub(3)N[super]+, at a concentration of 5 mM. In the presence of this additive, thick layers with acceptable uniformity could be formed over a range of current densities (20-80 mA cm[super]-2) and solution compositions. While electrolyte compositions with lead(II) concentrations in the range 0.1-1.5 M and methanesulfonic acid concentrations in the range 0-2.4 M have been investigated, the best quality deposits are formed at lower concentrations of both species. Surprisingly, the acid concentration was more important than the lead(II) concentration; hence a possible initial electrolyte composition is 1.2 M Pb(II) + 5 mM C sub(16H) sub(3)3(CH sub(3)) sub(3)N[super]+ without added acid.