Concentrated sulfuric acid (SA) and
nonionic surfactant (C
12
H
25
(OCH
2
CH
2
)
10
OH, C
12
E
10
) form lyotropic
liquid crystalline
(LLC) mesophases in a broad range of SA concentrations; the SA/C
12
E
10
mole ratio may vary from 2 to 11 in the LLC
mesophases in the presence of a small amount of water. The mesophase
is hexagonal at low SA concentration and cubic at higher concentrations.
Three different compositions were prepared (one hexagonal and two
cubic) with the SA/C
12
E
10
mole ratio of 2.5,
6, and 9, denoted as 2.5LC, 6LC, and 9LC, respectively. They all display
electrochemical SA activity in Pt and Pb systems. Most interestingly,
they show the electrochemical formation of stable PbO species in a
deeply acidic medium as evidenced by the X-ray diffraction, cyclic
voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry experiments. The preferable
properties of PbO over PbSO
4
for lead acid batteries (LABs)
make it uniquely positioned as a superior gel electrolyte for the
LABs that would mitigate sulfation.