BATTERY SEPARATOR

The present invention is a sheet material for use in alkaline batteries as a separator or interseparator. The sheet is formed of about 30 to about 70 percent polyolefin synthetic pulp, from about 15 to about 65 percent alkali resistant inorganic filler and from about 1 to about 35 percent of one or more long fibers, wherein at least some, if not all of the fiber is a water swellable polyvinyl alcohol based fiber and any remaining long fiber is a nonwater swellable fiber. The water swellable fiber during processing of the sheet forms a gel-like network when contacted by water which retains the filler and bonds the remaining materials together. The resulting sheet has increased tensile strength and alkali resistance and is especially useful in automated battery manufacturing processes.