Mat made of glass fibers or polyolefin fibers used as a separator in a lead-acid battery

A nonwoven fiber mat having a conductive surface, the nonwoven fiber mat comprising:

• a plurality of entangled fibers that form the nonwoven fiber mat;
• a binder that facilitates in coupling the plurality of entangled fibers;
• and
• a layer of conductive material disposed on at least one surface of the plurality of entangled fibers, the conductive material having an electrical conductivity sufficient to provide the conductive surface of the nonwoven glass fiber mat.

A lead-acid battery comprising:

• a positive electrode;
• a negative electrode;
• and
• a fiber mat separating the positive electrode and the negative electrode so as to electrically insulate the positive and negative electrodes, the fiber mat comprising:
• a plurality of fibers;
• and
• a conductive material disposed on at least one surface of the fiber mat so as to contact the positive or the negative electrode, the conductive material having an electrical resistant less than about 100,000 ohms per square so as to enable electron flow on the surface of the fiber mat.