Effect of Carbon Additives on the Positive Active Mass of a 2V AGM Lead Acid Cell Prototype

Lead-Acid Batteries (LAB) is a cost-effective technology with a recycling rate exceeding 95% and are widely employed in hybrid mobility, telecom, backup and UPS. The principal weak points of LABs are the limited charge efficiency, the cyclability and the positive grid corrosion. Some studies on literature deal with these problems suggesting the addition of carbonaceous additives on the cathode. In fact, it was demonstrated that a small addition (0.5 - 2 wt%) of carbons in the PAM of a LAB could improve the battery performance, in particular the mechanical strength and the conductivity ensuring an uniform current distribution during the charge–discharge process. The aim of this thesis is  the study of the effects due to the carbon addition on PAM. The major interest is the evaluation of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) with different textural properties and graphitization degree, where CNMs are expected to enhance interactions among different components, regulating the crystallite size of PbSO4 and increasing electrical conductivity at the electrode’s surface with reduced permanent sulfation and grid corrosion. These effects are evaluated through physical-chemical analysis and electrical test on a 2V AGM Lead Acid Battery cell prototype. The tests are divided into preliminary, life and corrosion tests