Effect of boric acid on the corrosion behavior of Pb-Sb alloy grids in lead-acid battery electrolyte solution

Vu Quang Hung; Dinh Van Long; Nguyen Ngoc Son; Doan Minh Cuong; Vu Minh Thanh; Huong Nguyen Thi

doi:10.62239/jca.2026.043

Authors

Vu Quang Hung Institute of Materials, Biology and Environment
Dinh Van Long Institute of Materials, Biology and Environment
Nguyen Ngoc Son Institute of Materials, Biology and Environment
Doan Minh Cuong Institute of Materials, Biology and Environment
Vu Minh Thanh Institute of Materials, Biology and Environment
Nguyen Thi Huong Institute of Materials, Biology and Environment

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62239/jca.2026.043

Keywords:

Boric acid, Pb-Sb alloy, Pb-Sb grid, Lead-acid battery (LAB), Electrochemical corrosion

Abstract

Positive grid corrosion in lead-acid batteries (LABs) remains one of the principal factors limiting battery service life. This study investigated the influence of boric acid on the corrosion behavior of Pb-Sb 2 wt% alloy grids in a sulfuric acid electrolyte (d = 1.27 g.cm^-3) by cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and Raman spectroscopy. Boric acid markedly attenuated the electrochemical activity of the alloy, as evidenced by lower CV peak currents and reduced corrosion kinetics. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of PbSO₄ and mixed sulfate/oxide corrosion products after cycling. Notably, the blank and boric-acid-containing samples exhibited identical peak positions but substantially different intensities, indicating that H₃BO₃ suppresses corrosion-film growth without altering the underlying corrosion chemistry. After 24 h, the corrosion-inhibiting effect of the boric acid additive becomes clearly evident compared to the additive-free sample: the corrosion current density J_corr=6.40 × 10⁻⁸ A cm⁻² is reduced by a factor of two, while the polarization resistance R_p = 428540 Ω increases by 2.6 times relative to the sample without an additive. Collectively, these results demonstrate that H₃BO₃ acts as an effective electrolyte additive, forming a thinner and more stable protective layer on Pb-Sb grids and thereby enhancing their corrosion resistance in a lead-acid battery.

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