Acid resistant glass mats that include binders with hydrophilic agents

A glass-fiber mat for a lead-acid battery, the mat comprising:

• glass fibers;
• and
• a binder that holds together the plurality of glass fibers in the mat,
• wherein the binder is made from a binder composition comprising:
• an acid resistant polymer made from methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylamide, and ethyl acrylate monomers;
• and
• a hydrophilic agent comprising a surfactant,
• wherein the hydrophilic agent increases wettability of the glass-fiber mat such that the glass-fiber mat forms a contact angle with water or aqueous sulfuric acid solution of 70° or less.

A method of making a glass-fiber mat for a lead-acid battery, the method comprising:

• providing glass fibers;
• applying a binder composition to the glass fibers to make a binder-fiber amalgam, wherein the binder composition comprises a substituted or unsubstituted acrylic acid, or a substituted or unsubstituted acrylic ester;
• and
• curing the binder-fiber amalgam to form the glass-fiber mat, wherein the glass-fiber mat further includes a hydrophilic agent that increases wettability of the glass-fiber mat such that the glass-fiber mat forms a contact angle with water or aqueous sulfuric acid solution of 70° or less.