I need to coat aluminum foil with lead metal. What would be the most practical way to do this?
Lead bonds readily with aluminum, but the air-formed aluminum oxide layer prevents it from happening, so that layer must be removed first.
I've seen that there is a flux available containing a mix of tin chloride and zinc chloride that is used for tin soldering on aluminum. Sometimes
copper sulfate is also used. I've also seen that copper chloride reacts strongly with aluminum oxide.
Perhaps even lead chloride could be used as a flux to keep the process more pure and not introduce more metals.
Once the aluminum has a thin film of tin/zinc/lead, it could be dipped in molten lead to create a thicker coat.
[Edited on 7-4-2018 by BjornM]Mabus - 7-4-2018 at 09:06
Doesn't aluminium foil have a protective plastic coating? I always have to remove that coating when doing anything with aluminium foil.overvoltage - 7-4-2018 at 09:15
Doesn't aluminium foil have a protective plastic coating? I always have to remove that coating when doing anything with aluminium foil.
Yes most has some kind of coating, but you can find some without if you shop around a bit.
The cheap stuff is more likely to be just aluminium. crystal grower - 7-4-2018 at 09:23
I will probably not be able to help you with this a lot, but I'm quite curious about your project. If you don't mind, could you please explain a bit
more?BjornM - 9-4-2018 at 05:02
I will probably not be able to help you with this a lot, but I'm quite curious about your project. If you don't mind, could you please explain a bit
more?
I'm trying to make a lead acid battery using the Plante method. The typical way is to use thick lead plates, which go through extensive formation to
turn them into sponge lead so their surface area is increased. I will instead use very thin lead plates, approx 2 mm thick, and very brief formation.
It will be two long strips rolled up with a felt between. Lead is not strong enough for this, so I need a substrate to carry the weight. Could be
copper foil, but that would be too expensive, so I want to try aluminum foil instead, if I can find an easy way to coat it with lead.
