New Secondary Cell for Electrical Storage. Ill 



Plante, and which consisted of two sheets of lead immersed 

 in dilute sulphuric acid. When these plates are made the 

 positive and negative electrodes of a few voltaic cells or 

 other source of electricity of sufficient power, the oxygen of 

 the decomposed solution combines with the positive electrode, 

 and forms a coat of the insoluble peroxide of lead. On 

 disconnecting the charging source, the plates have the power 

 of generating a powerful current of electricity, owing to the 

 great affinity the oxygen of the peroxide has for the 

 hydrogen of the solution when the circuit is closed. 



A recent form of this cell has been devised by M. Faure, 

 in which the lead plates have a coat of red oxide of lead 

 painted on, the chemical change in this case being — the 

 red oxide on the positive electrode on charging becomes 

 exalted to the state of peroxide, whilst the hydrogen com- 

 bines with the oxygen of the negative red oxide coating and 

 reducing metallic lead ; the chemical change of discharge 

 being precisely the same as in Plante's cell. 



This red oxide cell has caused a great stir in the electrical 

 world, OAving to some exaggerated reports having gone 

 through the press. 



Although there is a great deal that is pernicious in 

 exaggerated press reports, they have one virtue, and 

 that is, the incentive they give to workers to improve^ or, 

 if possible, discover new means of producing the same results. 

 This was shown in the invention of the telephone ; and the 

 same will occur in connection with electrical storage. 



These reports reminded me of an experiment I made 

 some time previously on the behaviour of peroxide of lead as 

 an element in voltaic cells. I prepared some peroxide by 

 treating red oxide of lead with dilute hyclric nitrate till the 

 brown precipitate of peroxide fell ; collected the precipitate, 

 and made a congiomerite of it, and using it as an element in 

 a small voltaic cell. 



I have since then gone through a long series of experi- 

 ments in storing electricity, and made many different forms of 

 cell ; one being a porous pot containing dilute hydric sulphate 

 and a sheet of lead, and an outer containing vessel, having a 

 sheet of lead immersed in a solution of acetate of lead, the 

 plate in the porous pot being made the positive electrode. 

 This cell had the power of storing electricity, by peroxidis- 

 ing the positive electrode and depositing metallic lead from 

 the solution on the negative electrode, the acetate being then 

 converted into a solution of acetic acid. On discharging the 



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