Novel Copper Composite Grids for Lightweight, Sealed Lead-acid Batteries

"Boundless proposes to develop novel copper composite grids for lightweight, sealed lead-acid batteries offering 20% weight savings over conventional designs and possibilities of higher volumetric capacities and higher powers as well. These grids will bebased on thin, lead coated composite materials, namely a copper composite for the negative grid and a carbon/copper composite laminate for the positive grid. Since copper is electrochemically unstable at the positive plate, and simple lead coating ofcopper has proven ineffective (due to pinholes and corrosion); the copper/carbon composite laminate will have an interior of copper composite covered by a layer of corrosion resistant carbon composite. The high conductivity of copper and the strength ofthe composites will result in grid much thinner than conventional lead grids.Boundless has performed proof of concept studies on the copper composites proposed herein. The stiff composites have been measured for conductivity. The conductivity for the composite grid is expected to be four times that of lead grid. Thickness isanticipated to decrease by 50% and weight by 80%.This technology is expected to be superior to other advanced lead-acid technology such as the Electrosource bi-plate technology, the Bolder Thin Metal Film technology and bipolar plate technology. In addition to meeting Navy requirements, commercialization in Phase III is expected to be rapid, due to the demand for improved