PP Battery Separator

An improved battery separator for lead-acid battery cells has low resistance to electrolyte ion transfer and can assist in holding paste in contact with a grid of an electrode plate during chemical reactions of the cell. The separator is formed by depositing an improved wetting composition to a polyolefin substrate comprised of entangled microfibers. The wetting composition which is deposited over and adhered to external surfaces of the microfibers is comprised of a substantially homogeneous admixture of an epoxy emulsion and a polyfunctional amine curing agent. When the separator is immersed in electrolyte, the amine groups in the cured resin of the wetting composition react with the acid electrolyte and are substantially completely neutralized forming a polymeric salt; in the process the fibers are rapidly wetted, providing a substantially permanent wetting characteristic in the electrolyte.