Lead-acid batteries have traditionally used lead-based electrodes to support the active materials in both positive and negative plates. The design, composition, and manufacturing processes of these lead electrodes have a significant impact on battery performance, weight, and cost.

ArcActive and Hollingsworth & Vose have combined their respective strengths—ArcActive’s expertise in fibrous media-based electrode fabrication and H&V’s leadership in fibrous glass media manufacturing—to develop an innovative electrode technology for lead-acid batteries.

This breakthrough involves the use of a Glass Electrode Material (GEM) structure to replace a significant portion of the lead traditionally used in electrodes. The result is a robust and scalable solution that brings several key advantages:

• Significantly improved charge acceptance that is permanent
• Enhanced performance thanks to unique structural characteristics that maximizes active material/electrolyte contact
• Increased charge recovery, greatly improves partial state of charge operation by increasing the amount of charge return in limited charge situations
• Lessens “Dead Lead” content, enables more active material per plate
• Reducing negative polarizations during recharge, decreases gas generation

This presentation will detail the functional difference in technology behind the new electrode design and demonstrate performance improvements over conventional lead-based electrodes through comparative testing and data.