The effects of SnSO4as an electrolyte additive on the microstructure of positive plate and electrochemical
performance of lead acid battery made from a novel leady oxide are investigated. The novel leady oxide is
synthesized through leaching of spent lead paste in citric acid solution. The novel leady oxides are used
to prepare working electrode (WE) subjected to electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. Moreover,
the novel leady oxides are used as active materials of positive plate assembled as a testing battery of
1.85 A h capacity. In CV tests, SEM/EDX results show that the major crystalline phase of the paste in WE
after CV cycles is PbSO4. The larger column-shaped PbSO4crystals easily generate in the paste of WE
without an electrolyte additive of SnSO4. However, PbSO4crystals significantly become smaller with the
addition of SnSO4in the electrolyte. In batteries testing, SEM results show that an electrolyte additive of
SnSO4 could effectively decrease PbO2 particle size in the positive active materials of the teardown
battery at the end of charging procedure. It is indicated that an electrolyte additive of SnSO4could have a
positive influence on restraining larger particles of irreversible sulfation in charge/discharge cycles of
battery testing.
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