Investigation of Dissolution Parameters for PbO2 Using Waste Cellulosic Reductants

In this study, we aimed to establish the optimum reductive leaching process with diluted acetic acid for the lead dioxide recovery from lead-acid battery paste. The effects of various reducing agents, acid concentrations, pulp densities, reaction temperatures, and leaching times on the dissolution of lead dioxide were investigated. Lead dioxide dissolution by reductive acidic media is a chemically controlled process with activation energy of 44.51 +/- 1.23 kJ/mol. After leaching, lead acetate ions were precipitated with chromic acid as the lead chromate (PbCrO4) compound. Lead acetate salt was also precipitated from the leaching solution using a crystallization method. These lead compounds can potentially be used in many industries (e.g., pigment application to detect the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide). Our findings indicate that this process could be effective in leaching lead dioxide.