Effects of Casting Method and Rolling on the Corrosion Behaviors of Pb Alloys for a Lead Acid Battery

In this study, we examined corrosion behaviors of two types of Pb alloys for a lead acid battery comparatively. One containing 6.6 wt% Sn, 36 mg/kg Bi, and 612.4 mg/kg Ca was prepared by twin-roll continuous casting. The other containing 5.2 wt% Sn, 30.5 mg/kg Ag, and 557 mg/kg Ca was made by twin-belt continuous casting. Potentiodynamic polarization tests were performed to evaluate corrosion resistance. Cyclic voltammetry was done to examine oxidation and reduction reactions occurring on the surface of each alloy in 4.8 M H2SO4 solution. Electrochemical test results implied that the Pb alloy prepared with the twin-belt casting method was less stable than that cast with the twin-roll method. Such results might be due to precipitations formed during the casting process. Rolling did not appear to affect the corrosion behavior of the twin-roll samples with Ag < 10 mg/kg, while it reduced the anodic reaction of Ag on the surface of the twin-belt sample with 30.5 mg/kg Ag.