Reveal the secret of lead acid batteries

The group of researchers comes from: University of Oxford, University of Bath, United Kingdom, Trinity College Dublin University, Ireland and from the ISIS neutron spallation source, under the management board of scientific and public facilities. technology, the United Kingdom, has lifted the veil of mystery (in the last 150 years) about the ability to provide high-voltage currents (to start cars) of lead acid batteries, often found underneath the lid. car bonnet.

Although lead acid batteries were invented in 1859, until now, scientists have discovered: how lead-acid batteries can provide high-voltage currents needed to start up. For car engines, it is because of the exceptionally high electrical conductivity of the battery anode, lead oxide.

The results of this study were published in "Physical Review Letters".

"The unique ability of lead acid batteries is the ability to provide high-current surges in excess of 100 amps, which helps to start a car engine; this depends on the oxide lead material (at the battery's anode). Lead acid, which has a very high electrical conductivity, has created a sudden high current, but the origin of the conductivity of oxide-lead materials is still controversial, because with the structure Similarly, titanium oxide is an insulator, " said Professor, working at the Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK.

Combining a computerized chemical model and neutron diffraction, the team found that: in essence, oxide lead is an insulator with a small gap between electronic connections, but always positive electricity due to the loss of oxygen from the lattice, which in turn converted oxide oxide from an insulating material into an electrically conductive metal.

Researchers believe that: The results of this study will open new ways of finding new materials to improve modern battery manufacturing technologies.

"The results of this study have shown the advantage of combining the chemical model of computerized materials and experimental measurement methods , " Egdell said.