Lightweight battery plates

A battery plate apparatus (10C) for use in a sealed bipolar lead-acid battery comprising:

• a layer of iron (12) which is self-healing in an acidic environment;
• said layer of iron (12) having an upper (12a) and a lower (12b) side;
• a discrete thermodynamically instable positive side protective layer of lead (16a) which protects said central layer of iron (12) from a destructive electrochemical reaction;
• said discrete thermodynamically instable positive side protective layer of lead (16a) being located adjacent to said upper side (12a) of said central layer of iron (12);
• said discrete thermodynamically instable positive side protective layer of lead 16a having an upper and a lower side and a first and a second lateral end;
• a discrete thermodynamically stable positive side protective layer of fluorine-doped conductive stannic oxide (18);
• said discrete thermodynamically stable positive side protective layer of fluorine-doped conductive stannic oxide (18) being located adjacent to said upper side of said discrete thermodynamically instable positive side protective layer of lead (16a;)
• said discrete thermodynamically stable positive side protective layer of fluorine-doped conductive stannic oxide (18) having an upper (18a) and a lower (18b) side and a first (18c) and a second (18d) lateral end;
• a discrete negative side protective layer of lead (16b);
• said discrete negative side protective layer of lead (16b) being located adjacent to said lower side (12b) of said layer of iron (12) and having a high hydrogen over-voltage;
• said layer of iron (12) which is self-healing in an acidic environment being capable of forming a stable protective film over itself if a defect in either of said discrete protective layers of lead (16a, 16b) exposes said layer of iron (12) to said acidic environment;
• a wetting agent layer of nickel flash (14) for providing plating compatibility;
• said wetting agent layer of nickel flash (14) being generally located between said lower side (12b) of said layer of iron (12) and said negative side protective layer of lead (16b);
• said wetting agent layer of nickel flash being generally from one to twenty micro-inches thick;
• a first intermediate layer of lead (22) for protecting said layer of iron (12) during a charge reversal of said sealed bipolar lead-acid battery (10);
• and
• a nonconductive seal (24) for insulating said thermodynamically stable positive side protective layer of fluorine-doped conductive stannic oxide (18) from external electrical potentials;
• said nonconductive seal (24) being located adjacent to said upper side (18a) of said thermodynamically stable positive side protective layer of fluorine-doped conductive stannic oxide (18);
• said nonconductive seal (24) including a pair of insulating margins (24c, 24d);
• said pair of insulating margins (24c, 24d) being located near said first (18c) and said second (18d) lateral ends of said upper side (18a) of said thermodynamically stable positive side protective layer of fluorine-doped conductive stannic oxide (18);
• and
• said nonconductive seal (24) being formed from a ceramic material.