Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
A grain boundary engineering approach was employed to improve the microstructure of a commercial Pb-base alloy for better performance in automobile battery application. Through a combination of cold working, recrystallization and subsequent thermomechanical-processing, it was possible to increase the fraction of the low ∑ coincidence site lattice boundaries up to 91% in addition to the substantial grain refinement. A preliminary electrochemical evaluation indicated a better corrosion resistance in the experimental material laden with the special boundaries. The high frequency of the coincidence site lattice boundaries in the specimens was interpreted in terms of the '∑3 regeneration' model proposed in previous works.