Battery paste material and method

Abstract

A method of making a battery plate includes mixing particles of tetrabasic lead sulfate with leady oxide to form a paste material. The particles having an average spherical particle diameter of less than approximately 2.5 micrometers. The method also includes providing at least a portion of the paste material on a battery grid curing the battery grid and paste material at a temperature of less than approximately 48 degrees Celsius to produce a battery plate having a cured paste thereon.

1 . A method of making a battery plate paste comprising the steps of: 
 mixing together water and lead oxide;    mixing sulfuric acid into the water and lead oxide mixture; and    reacting the mixture of water, lead oxide and sulfuric acid in the presence of tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals to thereby form a paste material containing tetrabasic lead sulfate crystals.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of reducing the size of the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfuric acid is diluted.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfuric acid is added over a 10 minute period.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of reducing the size of the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals are reduced in size by milling.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lead oxide paste includes lead monoxide.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals are loaded into the paste in the range of 0.5 to 10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         9 . A method of making a battery paste comprising the step of reacting a mixture of: 
 water;    lead oxide; and    sulfuric acid;    in the presence of tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the mixture includes 0.1 to 10 percent loading of seed crystals.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making a battery plate, comprising the steps of: 
 mixing tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals with a paste mix to create a battery paste;    wherein the mixing step includes mixing lead oxide, sulfuric acid, and water in the presence of the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals; and    curing the battery paste.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals have a particle size less than about 2.5 micrometers.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals have a particle size of approximately 1 micrometers.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals have a particle size between 2 to 5 micrometers.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals have a particle size between 2 to 5 micrometers.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals have a particle size between 2 to 5 micrometers.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of mixing tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals with a paste mix to create a battery paste comprises the step of adding the tetrabasic lead sulfate seed crystals to the paste mix at a loading level of approximately 0.5 to 10 percent.  
     
     
         18 . A battery paste comprising: 
 a battery paste mix;    tetrabasic lead sulfate; and    an oxide.    
     
     
         19 . The paste of  claim 18 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate is loaded in the battery paste mix at a level of approximately 0.5 to 10 percent.  
     
     
         20 . The paste of  claim 18 , wherein tetrabasic lead sulfate has a particle size between 2 to 5 micrometers.  
     
     
         21 . The paste of  claim 18 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate promotes the formation of more tetrabasic lead sulfate in the battery paste during paste mixing.  
     
     
         22 . A battery paste comprising: 
 water;    lead oxide;    sulfuric acid; and    tetrabasic lead sulfate.    
     
     
         23 . The battery paste of  claim 22 , wherein the tetrabasic lead sulfate is added to promote the formation of tetrabasic lead sulfate in the battery paste.  
     
     
         24 . A battery plate made by the method of: 
 providing the battery paste of  claim 22 , wherein the battery paste is formed using tetrabasic seed crystals; and    curing the battery paste.    
     
     
         25 . The battery paste of  claim 22 , wherein the battery paste is formed by adding tetrabasic lead sulfate particles to a paste mix.