Lead　acid　battery　occupies　a　very　important　position　in　the　global　battery　market　for　its　high　security　and　excellent　cost-effective.　It　is　widely　used　in　various　energy　storage　systems,　such　as　electric　vehicles,　hybrid　electric　vehicles,　uninterruptible　power　supply　and　grid-scale　energy　storage　system　of　electricity　generated　by　renewable　energy.　Lead　acid　battery　which　operates　under　high　rate　partial　state　of　charge　will　lead　to　the　sulfation　of　negative　electrode.　Lead　carbon　battery,　prepared　by　adding　carbon　material　to　the　negative　electrode　of　lead　acid　battery,　inhibits　the　sulfation　problem　of　the　negative　electrode　effectively,　which　makes　the　problem　of　positive　electrode　become　more　prominent.　As　a　result,　more　and　more　researchers　are　working　on　ways　to　improve　the　performance　of　the　positive　electrode,　such　as　adding　additives　to　positive　active　material.　In　this　paper,　the　positive　additives　are　divided　into　conductive　additive,　porous　additive　and　nucleating　additive　from　two　aspects:　the　chemical　properties　of　the　additives　and　the　effect　on　the　performance　of　the　lead-acid　battery.　The　effect　and　mechanism　of　different　additives　on　the　structure　and　properties　of　positive　electrode　are　discussed.