MAT MADE OF COMBINATION OF COARSE GLASS FIBERS AND MICRO GLASS FIBERS USED AS A SEPARATOR IN A LEAD-ACID BATTERY

Embodiments of the invention provide battery separators including reinforcing fibers and methods for making the same. According to one embodiment, a battery separator may include a plurality of first fibers blended with a plurality of second fibers. The plurality of first fibers may include fibers having a fiber diameter of between about 0.05 and 5 microns and the plurality of second fibers may include fibers having a fiber diameter of between about 8 and 20 microns. The first fibers may allow the battery separator to absorb an electrolyte of the battery while the second fibers reinforce the battery separator. An acid resistant binder may bond the first and second fibers. In some embodiments, the second fibers may be arranged with respect to the first fibers so as to form a plurality of fiber strands that are disposed on one or more surfaces of the mat composed of the first fibers.