Relation between energetic and utilization coefficients in the positive plates of automotive lead/acid batteries

A new experimental method to distinguish between energetic and structural materials and to characterize the manufacturing technology for positive plates in lead/acid batteries is discussed. This new method proposes the evaluation of the energetic β-coefficient from plots of capacity versus very low current densities under galvanostatic conditions and using real-size positive plates in 2.3–6.9 M H2SO4 solutions. The results are identical to those obtained previously from potentiostatic measurements, and they fit a new equation as opposed to Peukertʹs equation. The independence of the β-coefficient with H2SO4 concentration indicates that the discharge of PbO2 to its products proceeds via a solid-state reaction mechanism.