Method for manufacturing a hardened lead storage battery electrode

A method for manufacturing a hardened lead storage battery electrode comprising the steps of:

• preparing an electrolyte by using raw material selected from the group consisting of lead, waste material containing lead, and desulfured lead storage battery electrolyte paste to form an HBF.sub.4 solution containing lead and lead compounds selected from the group consisting of PbO, Pb(OH).sub.2 and PbCO.sub.3 ;
• mixing solids into said electrolyte;
• electrolytically depositing lead onto a plurality of electrically conductive surface regions of a cathode in a vessel containing said electrolyte mixed with said solids and forming an electrochemical cell consisting of said cathode, said electrolyte solution and a Cu/Ta/Pt anode by producing a current through said electrolyte solution between said cathode and said anode having a current density of from approximately 100 to about 2000 A/m.sup.2 ;
• maintaining said solids mixed in said electrolyte while electrolytically depositing lead and vigorously agitating said electrolyte solution by introducing air into said vessel through an apertured plate in a bottom of said vessel;
• and
• selecting a shape of said electrically conductive surface regions for producing a selected coupled shape of said lead storage battery electrode on said electrically conductive surface regions simultaneously with the electrolytic lead deposition.