Rainer Bussar
Bio
Rainer Bussar is the “Battery Additives Manager” at PENOX, where he leads the R&D department. His role involves the development of innovative battery additives, managing scientific collaborations, and providing technical support to the battery industry. He took on this role in 2018 after serving as Director of R&D at EXIDE Technologies in Europe. With 15 years of experience in the lead-acid battery sector, Rainer has deep-seated expertise in the field. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Bonn, Germany. Previously, he was a senior scientist at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Bavarian Center of Applied Energy Research (ZAE). His academic research was focused on developing efficient electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells, Direct-Methanol fuel cells (DMFC) and new concepts and designs for redox-flow batteries (RFC).
In 2022, Penox conducted a study investigating the optimal red lead (RL) content in the positive active mass (PAM) for efficient lead-acid battery formation. Since 2021, Penox has offered a new class of functionalized oxides – especially the new RL+. PENOX has now studied the remaining optimization potential of the positive electrode and the respective contribution of advanced oxides, i.e., functionalized Red Lead. This new study expands on the impact of standard and advanced types of RL in the PAM on the plate-making and formation processes for automotive and industrial batteries. This research deals with the structural effects that can be obtained using functional oxides in PAM. These oxides combine several functions to improve the positive electrode’s stability with a narrow particle size distribution supporting controlled porosity of the formed active mass, resulting in enhanced and consistent mass utilization. Penox innovation decouples the content of PbO2 of the RL from the particle size and establishes intrinsic support of the structural backbone of the formed PAM. Furthermore, by coating RL with tetrabasic seeding material, it is possible to achieve a tetrabasic structure in a more straightforward curing process without the need to steam cure the plates. The extended study investigates the function and limits of plate porosity on mass utilization. Furthermore, based on the experimental data, a comprehensive model is provided to understand the technical limits of different plate technologies. Penox aims to support the battery industry with advanced RL, allowing a fast and efficient formation process and favourable control of the PAM structure. Cycle life results have been investigated for different active mass compositions and structures.
