Lead Oxide is produced by BÖRÜ Defense in Karatay/Konya, TÜRKİYE and supplied to defence industry customers around the world. Each shipment leaves with its certificate of analysis and safety data sheet, and export paperwork is arranged for the country of destination.

What is Lead Oxide?

Lead Oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula PbO₂. It is an oxide where lead is in an oxidation state of +4. It is a dark-brown solid which is insoluble in water. It exists in two crystalline forms. It has several important applications in electrochemistry, in particular as the positive plate of lead acid batteries.

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Properties

Lead dioxide has two major polymorphs, alpha and beta, which occur naturally as rare minerals scrutinyite and plattnerite, respectively. Whereas the beta form had been identified in 1845, α-PbO₂ was first identified in 1946 and found as a naturally occurring mineral 1988.

The alpha form has orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pbcn (No. 60), Pearson symbol oP12, lattice constants a = 0.497 nm, b = 0.596 nm, c = 0.544 nm, Z = 4 (four formula units per unit cell). The lead atoms are six-coordinate.

The symmetry of the beta form is tetragonal, space group P4₂/mnm (No. 136), Pearson symbol tP6, lattice constants a = 0.491 nm, c = 0.3385 nm, Z = 2 and related to the rutile structure and can be envisaged as containing columns of octahedra sharing opposite edges and joined to other chains by corners. This contrasts with the alpha form where the octahedra are linked by adjacent edges to give zigzag chains.

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History of Lead Oxide

Lead oxides are among the oldest manufactured chemicals. Litharge, the yellow monoxide PbO, was obtained in antiquity as a by-product of refining silver from lead ores. Red lead, Pb₃O₄, was known to the Romans as minium and was used as a pigment; medieval scribes used it so widely for red lettering that the word miniature derives from it. Potters used lead oxides in glazes from an early date, and in the 1670s George Ravenscroft in England introduced lead oxide into glass, creating lead crystal.

The modern industry dates from the nineteenth century. Gaston Planté built the first lead-acid battery in 1859, and in 1881 Camille Faure improved it with plates coated in a lead oxide paste. Lead dioxide, PbO₂, forms the positive plate of that battery. Red lead anti-rust primers later protected bridges and ships, until health concerns restricted lead in paints.

What are the Uses of Lead Oxide?

Battery making is by far the largest use. Lead oxides form the active material of lead-acid batteries for vehicles, backup power and industrial trucks. Glass and ceramics come next: lead oxide raises the density and refractive index of crystal and optical glass, gives radiation-shielding glass its absorbing power, and acts as a flux in glazes, enamels and frits. It is also a raw material for piezoelectric ceramics used in sensors and ultrasonic devices.

Other uses include rubber compounding, specialised anti-corrosion coatings and the production of other lead compounds. In the defence and pyrotechnic field, the higher oxides serve as oxidisers in delay elements, igniters and some primer compositions, while the monoxide is a starting point for lead salts used in ammunition chemistry. Use in PVC stabilisers and general-purpose paints has declined sharply under regulation.

Advantages of Lead Oxide

The family covers several oxidation states, from PbO through Pb₃O₄ to PbO₂, so a suitable grade exists for fluxing, pigment, oxidising or electrochemical duties.
In glass it provides high density, a high refractive index and strong absorption of X-rays and gamma rays, a combination that few other oxides can match.
It is a low-melting flux that lowers the firing temperature of glazes and enamels and gives a smooth, glossy surface.
Its electrochemistry is thoroughly understood, and lead-acid batteries are among the most effectively recycled products, which returns the lead to production.
Lead is widely mined and refined, so the oxides are inexpensive and supply is stable.
The oxides are non-flammable solids that remain stable under normal storage conditions.

Disadvantages of Lead Oxide

All lead oxides are toxic. Lead accumulates in the body and damages the nervous system, the kidneys and blood formation, and it is especially harmful to children and to the unborn child.
The main workplace risk is fine dust that is inhaled or swallowed, so plants need enclosed handling, extraction, strict hygiene rules and blood-lead monitoring of staff.
Lead does not break down in the environment. It causes lasting contamination of soil and water and is very toxic to aquatic life.
Regulation is tight and still tightening. Lead compounds are classified as toxic to reproduction, several lead oxides are on the European list of substances of very high concern, and lead is restricted in paints, electronics and consumer articles.
The higher oxides are oxidising agents and may intensify a fire if they are stored in contact with combustible materials.
Waste, dust-collector residues and used packaging must be managed as hazardous waste, and substitution pressure is steadily shrinking some traditional markets.

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Page last reviewed:2026-09-17

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