Is there a bad ass acid that eats battery sulfate?

[spendlove]

Wouldn't this be the best way to restore a "dead" battery? If such an acid exists, can someone make a recommendation on how I can buy some?

Thanks!

 

[Supervstech]

The sulfate is the breakdown of the plate metal into the electrolyte.

eating it with a foreign acid would damage the battery more I think.

a better plan... and what recyclers do, is reclaim the metals and rebuild the battery.

some claim Epsom salts fix a battery, but I think they just bandage the damage, allowing portions of the cell to operate...

 

[JeepHammer]

The sulfate is the breakdown of the plate metal into the electrolyte.

eating it with a foreign acid would damage the battery more I think.

a better plan... and what recyclers do, is reclaim the metals and rebuild the battery.

some claim Epsom salts fix a battery, but I think they just bandage the damage, allowing portions of the cell to operate...

With respect, I disagree.

Electrolyte is 100% saturated with sulfuric acid, the de-ionized water simply can't suspend any more sulfur.
When overcharging happens, the battery 'Off Gasses', splits the H2O apart, oxygen and hydrogen escape leaving the sulfur behind on the plates.

When you add Distilled water (and nothing EVER but distilled or de-ionized water) the 'Desulfidation' charge *CAN* put the sulfur back into suspension in the new water.
The sulfur has to be charged for the distilled water to accept it...

*IF* you use de-ionized water (about $25 in single gallons), the water will actually attract the sulfur ions and 'Suck' the sulfur off the plates.

This *Assumes* there wasn't anything introduced with the water added, like tap water or 'Hard' water which have chemicals and dissolved solids that turn into more or less concrete on the plates.
There also has to be ROOM for new water to circulate and reach the sulfured in areas, no contact and it won't come off.

Eventually metal oxides from the plates will contaminate the electrolyte making it less efficient at the ion exchange, and/or build up in the bottom of the cells shorting out the plates.
What usually happens is sulfidation is left going on too long, charging above 13.2 volts, the off gas point in electrolyte, and it eventually bends and shorts out or breaks the plates.

Or at least that's how the chemistry says it happens...

 

[Supervstech]

With respect, I disagree.

Electrolyte is 100% saturated with sulfuric acid, the de-ionized water simply can't suspend any more sulfur.
When overcharging happens, the battery 'Off Gasses', splits the H2O apart, oxygen and hydrogen escape leaving the sulfur behind on the plates.

When you add Distilled water (and nothing EVER but distilled or de-ionized water) the 'Desulfidation' charge *CAN* put the sulfur back into suspension in the new water.
The sulfur has to be charged for the distilled water to accept it...

*IF* you use de-ionized water (about $25 in single gallons), the water will actually attract the sulfur ions and 'Suck' the sulfur off the plates.

This *Assumes* there wasn't anything introduced with the water added, like tap water or 'Hard' water which have chemicals and dissolved solids that turn into more or less concrete on the plates.
There also has to be ROOM for new water to circulate and reach the sulfured in areas, no contact and it won't come off.

Eventually metal oxides from the plates will contaminate the electrolyte making it less efficient at the ion exchange, and/or build up in the bottom of the cells shorting out the plates.
What usually happens is sulfidation is left going on too long, charging above 13.2 volts, the off gas point in electrolyte, and it eventually bends and shorts out or breaks the plates.

Or at least that's how the chemistry says it happens...

Parts of your explanation are right... and a mildly worn battery can be repaired with pure water, and some charging.

But as I understand it, (and I am NOT any kind of expert) the sulfate, is PbSO4 or LEAD sulfate. A combination of the plate and the electrolyte chemically combining, forms damaging stable crystals and deform the plate arrangement, also shorting the plates out. So, if you introduce a different acid to dissolve the sulfate, you would be creating another compound that would change the chemistry and weaken the overall cell.

certainly, overcharging can cause the sulphuric acid to concentrate and precipitate as well... and that would respond to water.