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.