Application of Lead
Lead has various applications, whether as a pure metal, as an alloying element, or as a component of a chemical compound.
A Diagram of Various Applications of Lead
As can be seen, the major applications of lead are primarily in batteries, sheets and extruded parts, ammunition, paint production, and cable sheathing; however, they are not limited to these uses. Further explanations regarding the applications of this metal are provided below.
Lead-acid Batteries
The primary application of this metal is in lead-acid storage batteries, in which the plates or grids are made of lead and other metals, particularly antimony.
Rolling and Extrusion
In the construction industry, lead is used as a sealant and for weatherproofing, as well as to prevent water penetration through roofing materials. In addition, due to its resistance to chemical corrosion, lead sheets are used as linings in chemical process baths, acid plants, and storage tanks. Owing to their high density, lead sheets serve as excellent sound insulators, while steel sheets coated with a thin layer of lead are applied for protection against radioactive radiation.
Lead Pipes
Lead pipes, due to their very high chemical resistance, are used for transporting chemicals in chemical manufacturing plants. In addition, alloys with suitable chemical compositions, after extrusion and cutting into short lengths, are used as bushings for lead-sheathed cables.
Coloring Particles
Lead has been widely used in the paint industry; however, its use has recently been restricted due to health hazards. The pigment used to produce white paint, with the formula 2PbCO₃·Pb(OH)₂, has been the most widely applied among lead compounds. Two other important lead compounds in the paint industry are lead sulfate and lead chromate.
Sheathing of High-Voltage Power Cables
Lead alloys, due to their high malleability and extrudability, strong resistance to corrosion, and low thermal conductivity, are used as sheathing for high-voltage cables in various industrial and marine environments, as well as in different soils and chemical conditions.
Lead Alloys
Lead forms alloys with many metals, including tin, copper, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, cadmium, and sodium, all of which have significant industrial importance. Lead is used in the production of bearings, solder, antifriction metals, and type metals. Soft solders are mainly alloys of lead and tin, with or without antimony. Fusible alloys consist of combinations of lead, tin, bismuth, cadmium, and other low-melting-point metals. Lead shot is a mixture of lead, antimony, and arsenic. Lead foils are also alloys of lead with other metals. In addition, lead is added to brass alloys to prevent tool wear during machining.
Ammunition
Lead is used in military bullets as well as in short-barreled sporting pistols.
Lead Weights for Diving
Due to its high density and resistance to corrosion in marine environments, this metal is used to facilitate diving.
