Electrochemical behavior of negative electrode of lead-acid cells based on reticulated vitreous carbon carrier

Reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC®) and RVC® plated with lead were investigated as carriers for the negative electrode of lead-acid cell. The RVC® and Pb/RVC® carriers were pasted with active paste (received from JENOX Ltd., Polish producer of lead-acid batteries) and prepared to be used in lead-acid cell. Comparative study of electrodes based on RVC® and Pb/RVC® has been done using constant-current charging/discharging, constant-potential discharging and cycling voltammetry measurements. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to determine the morphology of the lead layer deposited on the RVC surface. Hybrid flooded single lead-acid cells containing one negative electrode, based on new type of carrier (RVC® or Pb/RVC®), sandwiched between two positive electrodes, based on the Pb–Ca grids, were assembled and subjected to electrochemical tests. It has been found that both materials, RVC® and Pb/RVC®, can be used as carriers of negative electrode, but the latter seems to have better influence on the discharge performance.