The Possible Mechanism of Improving the Performance of Lead-Acid Batteries by Using Aluminum Ions to Influence the Gel Structure

Abstract

Gel lead-acid batteries have the advantages of no acid leakage, no maintenance, and a long cycle life. In this article, it was found that Al³⁺ in the gel electrolyte can shorten the gel time and improve the stability of the gel. The battery test results show that the HRPSoC cycle life of the gel battery can be significantly improved by adding Al³⁺. In comparison to blank gel batteries without Al³⁺, HRPSoC cycle life is 8.2 times higher. Additionally, the gel battery with added Al³⁺ has a 0.5C discharge capacity of 1.8 Ah, which is 2.5 times that of the blank gel battery. The added Al³⁺ also demonstrates good capacity stability and still retains a capacity of 1.7 Ah after 150 discharge cycles. The kinetic simulation shows that Al³⁺ may participate in the formation of a silicon gel system and tend to gather around Si atoms to affect the properties of the gel electrolyte.