|
Research into new methods to deposit non-metallic conducting
materials by the Dutch firm PGE bore fruit during the
BILAPS project.
The results will help power the environmentally friendly
vehicles of future generations.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) offer significant benefits
with respect to air pollution, climate change and noise pollution
in comparison with conventional vehicles. The European Commission
is doing its part to get more HEVs on Europe's roads. For
example, the BILAPS project was funded by the Energy, Environment
and Sustainable Development Programme to advance battery technology,
while maintaining production costs at competitive levels.
HEVs require stronger batteries than those used in today's
cars. The solution proposed by the BILAPS consortium is that
of bipolar lead-acid batteries, which possess excellent energy
density characteristics. PGE, a BILAPS partner from the Netherlands,
applied its expertise in electroplating to produce the new
battery components.
PGE used Electro Chemical Deposition (ECD) to deposit lead-alloy
on the conductive fluorpolymer bipolar plates used in the
new battery. They developed a number of special treatments
- applied before and after plating - to overcome the problems
associated with the deposition of non-metallic conducting
materials like lead alloys.
During the project, PGE also managed to successfully implement
the new plating technology on a production line - thereby
enabling increased output. PGE's contribution to BILAPS will
facilitate the manufacture of batteries with improved power-to-energy
ratios. They are also looking to exploit the process in other
plating applications.
For more information on PGE - Click
Here
|
