Carbon blacks and use in electrodes for lead acid batteries
A carbon black having a combination of properties with values in ranges selected to promote high conductivity, high hydrophobicity, and reduced outgassing in lead acid batteries while maintaining high charge acceptance and cycleability. The carbon black has a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 100 m 2 /g to 1100 m 2 /g combined with one or more properties, e.g., a surface energy (SE) of 10 mJ/m 2 or less, and/or a Raman microcrystalline planar size (L a ) of at least 22 Å, e.g., ranging from 22 Å to 50 Å. In some cases, the carbon black has a statistical thickness surface area (STSA) of at least 100 m 2 /g, e.g., ranging from 100 m 2 /g to 600 m 2 /g.
1. An electrode comprising:
an electrically conductive substrate; and
a material supported by a surface of the electrically conductive substrate, the material comprising a carbon black having a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 100 m 2 /g to 1100 m 2 /g, and a surface energy (SE) of 10 mJ/m 2 or less, and a Raman microcrystalline planar size (La) of at least 22 Å.
2. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black has a Raman microcrystalline planar size (La) of at least 25 Å.
3. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black has a Raman microcrystalline planar size (La) of 50 Å or less.
4. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the surface energy (SE) is 9 mJ/m 2 or less.
5. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black has a statistical thickness surface area (STSA) of at least 100 m 2 /g.
6. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black is a heat-treated carbon black.
7. The electrode of claim 6 , wherein the heat-treated carbon black is prepared by a process comprising heating a carbon black at a temperature ranging from 1100° C. to 1700° C. in an inert atmosphere.
8. A lead acid battery comprising:
a first electrode, wherein the first electrode comprises the electrode of claim 1 ;
a second electrode; and
an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode.
9. A composition comprising:
lead oxide; and
a carbon black having a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 100 m 2 /g to 1100 m 2 /g, a surface energy (SE) of 10 mJ/m 2 or less, and a Raman microscrystalline planar size (La) of at least 22 Å,
wherein the composition comprises 0.1 wt % to 5 wt % of the carbon black relative to the lead oxide.
10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the composition is a paste.
11. An electrode comprising:
an electrically conductive substrate; and
a material supported by a surface of the electrically conductive substrate, the material comprising the composition of claim 9 .
12. An electrode comprising:
an electrically conductive substrate; and
a material supported by a surface of the electrically conductive substrate, the material comprising the composition of claim 10 .
13. A lead acid battery comprising:
a first electrode, wherein the first electrode comprises the electrode of claim 11 ;
a second electrode; and
an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode.
14. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the surface energy (SE) is 6 mJ/m 2 or less.
15. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the surface energy (SE) is 3 mJ/m 2 or less.
16. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the surface energy (SE) is ranges from 1 mJ/m 2 to 10 mJ/m 2 .
17. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black has a statistical thickness surface area (STSA) of 600 m 2 /g or less.
18. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black has a statistical thickness surface area (STSA) ranging from 100 m 2 /g to 600 m 2 /g.