Battery separator having improved wettability and methods of use therefor

A separator for a lead-acid battery comprising:

• a microporous polymer membrane;
• and
• at least one nonwoven fiber mat that is positioned adjacent the microporous polymer membrane so as to reinforce the microporous polymer membrane, the nonwoven fiber mat including:
• a plurality of glass fibers;
• and
• an acid resistant binder that couples the plurality of glass fibers together to form the nonwoven fiber mat, the acid resistant binder having one or more hydrophilic functional groups coupled with a backbone of the acid resistant binder to increase the wettability of the nonwoven fiber mat by enhancing an ability of the nonwoven fiber mat to function or interact with water or an electrolyte of the lead-acid battery.

A method of manufacturing a separator for a lead-acid battery, the method comprising:

• providing a microporous polymer membrane;
• providing a plurality of entangled glass fibers;
• applying an acid resistant binder to the plurality of entangled glass fibers to couple the plurality of glass fibers together to form a nonwoven fiber mat, the acid resistant binder including one or more hydrophilic functional groups that are coupled to a backbone of the acid resistant binder, the one or more hydrophilic functional groups being functional with water or an electrolyte of a lead-acid battery such that the nonwoven fiber mat exhibits increased wettability;
• and
• coupling the nonwoven fiber mat with the microporous polymer membrane so as to reinforce the microporous polymer membrane.