摘要 |
<p>A continuous cast positive grid (22) of lead having substantially improved corrosion resistance and decreased growth in a positive plate (512) of a lead-acid battery (500) and a continuous cast negative grid (422) of lead having substantially increased tensile strength for a lead-acid battery (500). A web (24, 424) of lead is continuously cast with a series of succeeding grid blanks (26, 426) of uniform thickness which are cold worked to reduce the positive grid thickness by at least 3:1 and the negative grid thickness in the range of about 1.5:1 to 2.8:1 preferably by passing through the nip of each of a plurality of successive compression rollers (100, 102). Electrochemically active paste is applied to the reduced webs, preferably flash dried, and individual pastet grids are cut from the reduced and pasted webs to provide positive plates (512) and negative plates (514) for a lead-acid battery (500). The reduced positive grids have a microstructure with substantially smaller grains and a more uniform grain structure and the reduced positive and negative grids have substantially increased tensile strength after full age hardening compared to as cast continuous grids after full age hardening. <IMAGE></p> |