The capacity limiting role of the electronic conductivity of the active material in lead—acid batteries during discharge☆

Abstract The utilisation of the active material in lead—acid batteries is known to be no more than about 60% of the theoretical value, even at low current densities. It can be shown that the maximum output is limited by a sharp decrease in the effective electronic conductivity of the active materials. Structural effects are responsible for the electrical insulation of unconverted parts of the active material of the electrodes. A mathematical model for the behaviour of the effective electronic conductivity during discharge has been developed and compared with experimental values.