Lead oxide technology - Past, present, and future

In the earliest lead/acid battery, active material was formed electrochemically on the surface of a sheet of lead, which also served as the plate itself. Since that time, lead compounds (i.e., litharge, red lead, leady oxide) have been used to form the active mass, with better efficiency and performance. Many lead oxide production methods have existed, the predominant two are the 'ball mill' and the 'Barton pot' processes. These, and other methods, produce oxides with characteristics which are unique to each. The oxide properties of particle size and shape, surface area, crystal structure, purity, and degree of oxidation, can potentially, individually or in combinations affect the battery. With today's manufacturers making mixed product lines that range from deep cycle to automotive lead acid to valve-regulated lead/acid (VRLA) batteries and everything in between, lead oxidation machinery and processes must be able to respond accordingly to produce materials that meet appropriate specifications. Oxide equipment and operating technique is improving in response to those characteristics that the ongoing research by industry indicates are or will, in the future, be beneficial to overall battery performance. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.