A method of making battery plates of pure lead battery grids for lead-acid battery manufacture is presented. The method has been shown to resolve issues that have long-persisted in the battery manufacture industry involving the use of pure lead material for battery grids. According to an implementation, several processes are performed in succession in order to make pure lead battery grids feasible in commercial and mass production, among them: a continuous casting process to produce battery grids of pure lead material, a compression rolling process of the cast pure lead battery grids, and a battery paste application process to the cast and rolled pure lead battery grids. The pure lead material of the continuous strip of pure lead battery grids can consist of lead (Pb) material in an amount that ranges approximately between 99.85 percent (%) to 99.999% of the overall constituent elements of the pure lead material.

A method of making battery plates of pure lead battery grids for lead-acid battery manufacture is presented. The method has been shown to resolve issues that have long-persisted in the battery manufacture industry involving the use of pure lead material for battery grids. According to an implementation, several processes are performed in succession in order to make pure lead battery grids feasible in commercial and mass production, among them: a continuous casting process to produce battery grids of pure lead material, a compression rolling process of the cast pure lead battery grids, and a battery paste application process to the cast and rolled pure lead battery grids. The pure lead material of the continuous strip of pure lead battery grids can consist of lead (Pb) material in an amount that ranges approximately between 99.85 percent (%) to 99.999% of the overall constituent elements of the pure lead material.

A process of preparing a continuous cast lead-based alloy strip for use in the manufacture of a battery grid of a lead-acid battery, the process comprising mechanically deforming, at a deformation temperature in a range of about 15 to about 150 C., a continuous cast lead-based alloy strip having a thickness of t.sub.cast that is in a range that is from about 0.6 to about 2 mm to reduce the thickness of the strip to a thickness of t.sub.reduced that is in a range that is from about 0.4 to about 1.5 mm such that the reduction in thickness is in a range of about 10 to about 50%, wherein the lead-based alloy comprises lead and silver and is essentially free of calcium, and wherein the silver is at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 weight percent.

A process of preparing a continuous cast lead-based alloy strip for use in the manufacture of a battery grid of a lead-acid battery, the process comprising mechanically deforming, at a deformation temperature in a range of about 15 to about 150 C., a continuous cast lead-based alloy strip having a thickness of t.sub.cast that is in a range that is from about 0.6 to about 2 mm to reduce the thickness of the strip to a thickness of t.sub.reduced that is in a range that is from about 0.4 to about 1.5 mm such that the reduction in thickness is in a range of about 10 to about 50%, wherein the lead-based alloy comprises lead and silver and is essentially free of calcium, and wherein the silver is at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 weight percent.

Apparatus and techniques are described herein for providing a bipolar battery plate such as can be included as a portion of an energy storage device assembly, such as a battery. The bipolar battery plate can include a silicon substrate. A first metal layer can be deposited on a first surface of the rigid silicon substrate, and a different second metal layer can be deposited on a second surface of the rigid silicon substrate opposite the first surface. The first and second metal layers can be annealed to form a first silicide on the first surface and a different second silicide on the second surface of the rigid silicon substrate.

Apparatus and techniques are described herein for providing a bipolar battery plate such as can be included as a portion of an energy storage device assembly, such as a battery. The bipolar battery plate can include a silicon substrate. A first metal layer can be deposited on a first surface of the rigid silicon substrate, and a different second metal layer can be deposited on a second surface of the rigid silicon substrate opposite the first surface. The first and second metal layers can be annealed to form a first silicide on the first surface and a different second silicide on the second surface of the rigid silicon substrate.

A method for manufacturing a negative electrode of a rechargeable battery includes coating a first active mass on a first surface of a substrate, aligning a first graphite material in the first active mass, and coating a second active mass on a second surface of the substrate. The second active mass includes a second graphite material. The method also includes aligning the second graphite material and pressing the first and second graphite material. The alignment operations are performed by applying magnetic fields, so that a first long axis of the first graphite material forms a first acute angle with the first surface and a second long axis of the second graphite material forms a second acute angle with the second surface. The second long axis is inclined in a direction facing the first long axis, with the substrate therebetween.

A method for manufacturing a negative electrode of a rechargeable battery includes coating a first active mass on a first surface of a substrate, aligning a first graphite material in the first active mass, and coating a second active mass on a second surface of the substrate. The second active mass includes a second graphite material. The method also includes aligning the second graphite material and pressing the first and second graphite material. The alignment operations are performed by applying magnetic fields, so that a first long axis of the first graphite material forms a first acute angle with the first surface and a second long axis of the second graphite material forms a second acute angle with the second surface. The second long axis is inclined in a direction facing the first long axis, with the substrate therebetween.

A battery grid comprising a continuous cast and mechanically deformed lead-based alloy that comprises lead and silver and is essentially free of calcium, wherein the silver is at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 weight percent, and has a predominant equiaxed grain structure that comprises grain sizes that are in a range of about 0.1 to about 5 microns. Other alloy constituents include bismuth at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.003 to about 0.002 weight percent and tin at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.2 to about 1.8 weight percent. A process for making strip of said alloy for use in manufacturing said grid. A battery comprising said grid.

A battery grid comprising a continuous cast and mechanically deformed lead-based alloy that comprises lead and silver and is essentially free of calcium, wherein the silver is at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 weight percent, and has a predominant equiaxed grain structure that comprises grain sizes that are in a range of about 0.1 to about 5 microns. Other alloy constituents include bismuth at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.003 to about 0.002 weight percent and tin at a concentration that is in a range of about 0.2 to about 1.8 weight percent. A process for making strip of said alloy for use in manufacturing said grid. A battery comprising said grid.