LEAD-BASED ALLOY AND RELATED PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS
A lead-based alloy containing alloying additions of bismuth, antimony, arsenic, and tin is used for the production of doped leady oxides, lead-acid battery active materials, lead-acid battery electrodes, and lead-acid batteries.
1 .- 20 . (canceled)
21 . A process for forming a positive lead-acid battery electrode, the process comprising:
submerging plates in aqueous sulfuric acid, the plates comprising a cured lead-based alloy grid and a paste, wherein the paste comprises a doped leady oxide powder, wherein the doped leady oxide powder comprises an oxidation product of a lead-based alloy comprising, in percent by total alloy weight:
0.0010% to 0.0300% antimony;
0.0010% to 0.0300% arsenic;
0.0010% to 0.0100% tin; and
balance lead and incidental impurities; and
passing an electrical current through the plates to form a doped lead dioxide active material.
22 . The process of claim 21 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0030% to 0.0900% bismuth.
23 . The process of claim 21 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0090% to 0.0150% antimony.
24 . The process of claim 21 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0010% to 0.0090% tin.
25 . The process of claim 21 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, up to 0.0010% silver.
26 . The process of claim 21 , further comprising mounting a positive plate adjacent to a dummy electrode to produce the positive lead-acid battery electrode.
27 . The process of claim 21 , further comprising mounting the positive plate adjacent to a negative plate to produce the positive lead-acid battery electrode and a negative lead-acid battery electrode.
28 . A process for forming a negative lead-acid battery electrode, the process comprising:
submerging plates in aqueous sulfuric acid, the plates comprising a cured lead-based alloy grid and a paste, wherein the paste comprises a doped leady oxide powder, wherein the doped leady oxide powder comprises an oxidation product of a lead-based alloy comprising, in percent by total alloy weight:
0.0010% to 0.0300% antimony;
0.0010% to 0.0300% arsenic;
0.0010% to 0.0100% tin; and
balance lead and incidental impurities; and
passing an electrical current through the plates to form a spongy lead alloy active material.
29 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0030% to 0.0900% bismuth.
30 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0090% to 0.0150% antimony.
31 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0010% to 0.0090% tin.
32 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, up to 0.0010% silver.
33 . The process of claim 28 , further comprising mounting a negative plate adjacent to a dummy electrode to produce the negative lead-acid battery electrode.
34 . The process of claim 28 , further comprising mounting the negative plate adjacent to a positive plate to produce the negative lead-acid battery electrode and a positive lead-acid battery electrode.
35 . A process for forming a lead-acid battery electrode, the process comprising:
submerging plates in aqueous sulfuric acid, the plates comprising a cured lead-based alloy grid and a paste, wherein the paste comprises a doped leady oxide powder, wherein the doped leady oxide powder comprises an oxidation product of a lead-based alloy comprising, in percent by total alloy weight:
0.0090% to 0.0150% antimony;
0.0010% to 0.0300% arsenic;
0.0010% to 0.0090% tin; and
balance lead and incidental impurities; and
passing an electrical current through the plates to form an active material comprising one of the following:
a doped lead dioxide; and
a spongy lead alloy.
36 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0030% to 0.0900% bismuth.
37 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0090% to 0.0150% antimony.
38 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the lead-based alloy comprises, in percent by total alloy weight, 0.0010% to 0.0090% tin and up to 0.0010% silver.
39 . The process of claim 35 , further comprising mounting a positive plate adjacent to a dummy electrode to produce a positive lead-acid battery electrode and mounting a negative plate adjacent to a dummy electrode to produce a negative lead-acid battery electrode.
40 . The process of claim 35 , further comprising mounting a positive plate adjacent to a negative plate to produce the negative lead-acid battery electrode and the positive lead-acid battery electrode.