New high-energy lead-acid battery with reticulated vitreous carbon as a carrier and current collector

2 V lead-acid cell employing RVC galvanized with Pb as the grid material has been designed and tested. Two thick (>0.5 cm) plates have been used for assembling prototype flooded cell. It completed over 65 charge/discharge cycles at 50% depth of discharge without losing its nominal capacity. For higher discharge currents at 100% DOD the cyclic lifetime is limited as a result of grid corrosion which is probably due to relatively thin, non-alloyed pure lead grid coating. However, very promising capacity values for 20-h discharge rate at the level of 120 A h kg−1 PAM, 170 A h kg−1 NAM have been obtained, the high current response is still below the expectations. Average internal resistance of the new cells is 45 mΩ, which is in parallel with limited high-current response. Perspective of designing serial lead acid cell employing lightweight reticulated carbon as a grid material is clearly visible. There is a need of introducing high-quality, corrosion resistant Pb-alloy for RVC coating and lowering the plates thickness for better high current performance.

► Lead acid cell employing Pb-plated porous carbon grids have been designed and tested.
► Cell's specific capacity at 20-h discharge rate is 24–25 A h kg−1.
► Elevated negative plate efficiencies (170 A h kg−1) have been obtained.
► Cyclic lifetime at 0.05C, 50% DOD is at the level of 65 cycles.