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A study on Pb2+/Pb electrodes for soluble lead redox flow cells prepared with methanesulfonic acid and recycled lead

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Abstract

Electrodeposition and electrodissolution reactions of the Pb2+/Pb electrode were studied on a glassy carbon rotating disk electrode in aqueous solutions of CH3SO3H and Pb(CH3SO3)2. The electrolytic parameters, kinematic viscosity and ionic conductivity, were determined with various concentrations of CH3SO3H and Pb(CH3SO3)2. The diffusion coefficient of Pb2+ in this electrolyte prepared with CH3SO3H was determined by the Levich Equation. Both the concentrations of CH3SO3H and Pb(CH3SO3)2 were found responsible for the equilibrium potential shifts and exchange current density variations. The electrochemical processes at the Pb2+/Pb electrode were identified as being under mixed ohmic-diffusion control. The electrolyte conductivity and the ionic activity of Pb2+ were recognized as important parameters for designing the soluble lead redox flow cells. During constant current charge–discharge measurement, the specific capacity of the Pb2+/Pb electrode was about 253 mAh g−1Pb, about 98 % of the theoretical value. The impurity elements Fe, Ba, Al, and Zn in the Pb2+ electrolytes prepared with recycled lead exhibited insignificant influences on the Pb2+/Pb reactions. It is reasonable to believe that the recycled lead can be applied in soluble lead redox flow batteries, and the cost may be further reduced with recycled lead because expensive impurity-control processes seemed to be avoidable.

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Acknowledgments

This study is sponsored by the “1000 Youth Talent Plan” of China assigned to Xu Wu, the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, China (2015CFA133), and the 2015 Chenguang Project of Hubei Province, China (Type A assigned to Xu Wu). The authors would like to express acknowledgements to relevant fundings on lead recycling from waste batteries, i.e. the National Science and Technology Support Program, China (2014BAC03B02), Wuhan Planning Project of Science and Technology (2014030709020313), China, and project of Innovative and Interdisciplinary Team of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (0118261077).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei Province, China

      Jinxin Dong, Xu Wu, Yuan Chen, Jiakuan Yang, Jiangwei Yu, Wei Zhang, Yuchen Hu, Wenhao Yu, Junxiong Wang, Sha Liang, Jingping Hu, Huijie Hou, Binchuan Liu & Changzhu Yang

    2. Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

      Nigel Brandon

    3. College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK

      Xiaohong Li

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    1. Jinxin Dong
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    Correspondence to Xu Wu or Jiakuan Yang.

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    Jinxin Dong and Yuan Chen are co-first author, who contributed equally to this manuscript.

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    Dong, J., Wu, X., Chen, Y. et al. A study on Pb2+/Pb electrodes for soluble lead redox flow cells prepared with methanesulfonic acid and recycled lead. J Appl Electrochem 46, 861–868 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-016-0980-y

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-016-0980-y

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