# US 2016/0260970 A1 · Manufacturing a lead-acid battery that includes a composite that includes lead oxide and a nanomaterial > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0260970 A1 - Document ID: US20160260970A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/742,034 - Filed: 2015-06-17 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-02 - Inventors: Dun Chi; Yimin Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160260970A1 ## CPC - H01M 4/57: of "grey lead", i.e. powders containing lead and lead oxide - H01M 4/14: Electrodes for lead-acid accumulators - H01M 4/56: of lead - H01M 10/06: Lead-acid accumulators (semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20) - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract The disclosure relates to the manufacturing of a lead-acid battery that includes a composite that includes lead oxide and a nanomaterial. A method of preparing the composite is disclosed. In one embodiment, an in-situ sol-gel reaction of a solution occurs in the presence of lead oxide to produce a composite that includes the lead oxide and a nanomaterial (e.g., a nano-oxide). The solution may include a precursor that includes metal alkoxide or silicate. The composite may include the lead oxide and the nanomaterial dispersed or distributed among particles of the lead oxide. A lead-acid battery may be manufactured using the composite. Various properties of a lead-acid battery may be improved by using the composite as part of the active material including a longer life expectancy, increased specific energy and increased power-to-weight ratio. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: preparing a first mixture comprising a polar organic solvent, water, a polymer, and a metal alkoxide; combining lead oxide with the first mixture to form a second mixture; and initiating an in-situ sol-gel reaction of the second mixture, producing a composite that includes the lead oxide and a nanomaterial formed from the metal alkoxide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sol-gel reaction is initiated by heating the second mixture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing, from the composite, at least a portion of the water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the lead oxide is in powder form, and wherein the lead oxide in powder form has a grain size of between about 1 micrometer and about 50 micrometers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the produced nanomaterial has a grain size that is between about 1 nanometer and about 100 nanometers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nanomaterial is an oxide of the metal alkoxide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alkoxide is a silicon alkoxide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alkoxide is a titanium alkoxide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the polar organic solvent is an alcohol. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding a catalyst to the first mixture, wherein the catalyst comprises an acidic catalyst or an alkaline catalyst. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first mixture comprises: 1 part of the metal alkoxide, 20 to 200 parts of the polar organic solvent, 0.01 to 0.1 parts of water and 0.0001 to 0.02 parts of the polymer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the lead oxide comprises at least one of: lead monoxide, lead dioxide, or triplumbic tetroxide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A lead-acid battery that includes a composite produced by the method of claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The lead-acid battery of claim 14, wherein a positive electrode and/or a negative electrode of the battery comprises the composite. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: preparing a first mixture comprising water, a polymer, and a metal silicate; combining lead oxide with the first mixture to form a second mixture; and initiating an in-situ sol-gel reaction of the second mixture, producing a composite that includes the lead oxide and a nanomaterial formed from the metal alkoxide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the polymer is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein initiating the in-situ sol-gel reaction comprises heating the second mixture. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: removing, from the composite, at least a portion of the water. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the lead oxide is in powder form, and wherein the lead oxide in powder form has a grain size of between about 1 micrometer and about 50 micrometers. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the produced nanomaterial has a grain size that is between about 1 nanometer and about 100 nanometers. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the nanomaterial is an oxide of the metal silicate. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metal silicate is a silicon silicate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metal silicate is a lithium silicate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metal silicate is a potassium silicate. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: adding a catalyst to the first mixture, wherein the catalyst comprises an acidic catalyst or an alkaline catalyst. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the first mixture comprises: 1 part of the silicate, 5 to 20 parts of water and 0.0001 to 0.02 parts of the polymer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the lead oxide comprises at least one of: lead monoxide, lead dioxide, or triplumbic tetroxide. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the first mixture is formed by: using an ion exchange resin to process an aqueous solution of the silicate, wherein the silicate comprises at least one of: sodium silicate, potassium silicate, or lithium silicate; and adding polymer to the processed silicate solution. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) A lead-acid battery that includes a composite produced by the method of claim 16. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The lead-acid battery of claim 30, wherein a positive electrode and/or a negative electrode of the battery comprises the composite. ### Claim 32 A composite comprising: metal oxide particles having a grain size that is between about 1 nanometer and about 100 nanometers and lead oxide particles having a grain size of between about 1 nanometer and about 100 nanometers.