Research on the Changes of Physico-Chemical Properties of Lead-Acid Batteries

Abstract

Lead-acid batteries were widely used in many industries as important power supply devices for military and civil industries, transport and shipment devices owing to its advantages of low cost,high performance and safety. According to statistics, most lead-acid batteries can reach 1-2 years life under operating conditions, generating millions of used lead-acid batteries each year in China, which caused economic and environmental losses if not properly treated. The changes of physico-chemical properties in the process of operation of lead-acid battery were summarized in this paper. The corrosion and deformation of grids, water loss in electrolyte, aging of separators, corrosion of plates and irreversible sulfation were the main physico-chemical properties changes resulting in battery failure. In the homogeneous acidic medium, the grid of the lead-acid battery corroded away, one side was dotted distribution, and the other side was interlaced net shape. The corrosion of grids and incomplete reaction may lead to the water loss in electrolyte. What’s more, there existed a series of chemical reactions that reducing the battery capacity and leading to the failure of batteries, such as the aging and elastic collision of separators and irreversible sulfation. By analyzing the physico-chemical properties changes in the process of operation, the study supplied the direction for the specification of operating conditions and the extending of service life of lead-acid battery. The basic theories were provided for the repair, regeneration and recovery of lead-acid batteries.