Lead oxide, 5.32

The lead alkyls inhibit auto-ignition which, by intermediary of lead oxide, PbO, increases the resistance to knocking. 

Lead oxide is used in producing fine "crystal glass" and "flint glass" of a high index of refraction for achromatic lenses. The nitrate and the acetate are soluble salts. Lead salts such as lead arsenate have been used as insecticides, but their use in recent years has been practically eliminated in favor of less harmful organic compounds. 

PbF2 is readily prepared by the action of hydrogen fluoride on lead hydroxide, lead carbonate, or a-lead oxide. It can also be obtained by precipitation from lead nitrate or lead acetate solutions using potassium fluoride, ammonium fluoride, or ammonium bifluoride. 

Another important class of titanates that can be produced by hydrothermal synthesis processes are those in the lead zirconate—lead titanate (PZT) family. These piezoelectric materials are widely used in manufacture of ultrasonic transducers, sensors, and minia ture actuators. The electrical properties of these materials are derived from the formation of a homogeneous soHd solution of the oxide end members. The process consists of preparing a coprecipitated titanium—zirconium hydroxide gel. The gel reacts with lead oxide in water to form crystalline PZT particles having an average size of about 1 ]lni (Eig. 3b). A process has been developed at BatteUe (Columbus, Ohio) to the pilot-scale level (5-kg/h). 

Some lead oxide is reduced by carbon or carbon monoxide, as shown. 

In the electrothermic part of the furnace, electrical energy introduced via three carbon electrodes, keeps the bath molten and completes the lead oxide reduction. Fumes generated in the electrothermic section are oxidized in a post-combustion chamber by adding ambient air, before the vapor is cooled, dedusted, and released to the atmosphere. 

Process. The QSL process (14) is a continuous single-step process having great flexibiUty in regard to the composition of the raw materials. In this process the highly exothermic complete oxidation, ie, the roasting reaction, can be avoided to some extent in favor of a weakly exothermic partial oxidation directly producing metallic lead. However, the yield of lead as metal is incomplete due to partial oxidation of lead to lead oxide. 

The remaining lead must be oxidized and later can be reduced from the slag using carbon. The ratio of metallic lead to lead oxide which depends in part on the type of raw materials to be processed, can be adjusted within certain limits by varying the degree of oxidation. In treating lead-rich concentrates having a lead content of approximately 70%, more than 75% of the lead can be obtained directly as metallic lead. 

The cmde lead and discard slag from the reduction furnace are tapped continuously through a single taphole into molds. The discard slags have a 1 to 2% lead oxide content and 1 to 2% of lead metal prills (pellets). 

In the fumace/ketde batch process, a charge of drossed blast furnace buUion is treated in a reverberatory furnace or a kettie (see Fig. 12). Oxygen is supphed in the form of compressed air or as lead oxide blown into the bath through submerged pipes. The formation of lead oxide serves by mass action to assure the removal of the impurities to the desired low concentrations. The softening reactions are... 

The electrolyte is prepared by dipping granulated lead, suspended in a basket, into and out of the fluosUicic acid. The lead oxidizes during the operation and lead fluosUicate is formed ... 

A typical automobile battery weighs 16.4 kg and consists of 3.5 kg metallic lead, 2.6 kg lead oxides, 4.0 kg lead sulfate, 1.3 kg polypropylene, 1.1 kg PVC, mbber and other separators, and 3.9 kg electrolyte. Including acid and water, the lead-beating parts represent 61 wt %, ie, 21 wt % of lead alloy (2% Sb) and 40 wt % lead oxides and sulfate. Nonlead-beating parts constitute the remaining 39% the case (hard mbber or polypropylene) and separators (PVC) at 15 wt % and the electrolyte at 24 wt %. 

After acid removal, scrap batteries are fed to a hammer mill in which they are ground to <5 cm particles. The ground components are fed to a conveyor and passed by a magnet to remove undesirable contamination. The lead scrap is then classified on a wet screen through which fine particles of lead sulfate and lead oxide pass, and the large oversize soHd particles are passed on to a hydrodynamic separator. The fine particles are settled to a thick slurry and the clarified washwater recirculated to the wet screen. 

PbO PbO H2O, for example, may be formed by boiling suspensions of lead oxide and lead sulfate in water. In addition, complex mixed salts, such as white lead, 2PbC02 Pb(OH)2, are readily formed. 

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