Battery separators comprising chemical additives and/or other components

Abstract

Non-woven webs that can be used as battery separators for batteries, such as lead acid batteries, are generally provided. In some embodiments, battery separators comprising a non-woven web including one or more chemical additives are provided. The chemical additives may impart beneficial properties, such as enhanced separator stability and/or battery performance. In some embodiments, the chemical additive(s) may confer resistance to oxidation, heavy metal deposition, and/or formation of short circuits during cycling of a battery including the battery separator. The respective characteristics and/or amounts of the chemical additive(s) may be selected to impart desirable properties while having relatively minimal or no adverse effects on another property of the battery separator and/or the battery.

1 . A battery separator, comprising:
 a non-woven web comprising:   a plurality of glass fibers having an average diameter of greater than or equal to about 0.1 microns and less than or equal to about 15 microns, wherein the glass fibers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 2 wt. % and less than or equal to about 95 wt. % of the non-woven web; and   one or more sulfate salts, wherein the one or more sulfate salts are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 0.1 wt. % and less than or equal to 30 wt. % of the battery separator prior to contact with a battery electrolyte.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A battery separator, comprising:
 a non-woven web comprising:   a plurality of glass fibers having an average diameter of greater than or equal to about 0.1 microns and less than or equal to about 15 microns, wherein the glass fibers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 2 wt. % and less than or equal to about 95 wt. % of the non-woven web;   a plurality of synthetic fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 1 wt. % and less than or equal to about 80 wt. % of the non-woven web;   a plurality of inorganic particles, wherein the inorganic particles are resistant to sulfuric acid, and wherein the inorganic particles are present in the non-woven web in an amount of greater than or equal to about 10 wt. % and less than or equal to about 80 wt. % of the non-woven web; and   one or more rubbers, wherein the one or more rubbers are present in the battery separator in an amount of greater than or equal to about 3 wt. % and less than or equal to about 80 wt. % of the battery separator.   
     
     
         4 . A battery separator, comprising:
 a non-woven web comprising:   a plurality of glass fibers having an average diameter of greater than or equal to about 0.1 microns and less than or equal to about 15 microns, wherein the glass fibers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 2 wt. % and less than or equal to about 100 wt. % of the non-woven web,   wherein the battery separator has a mean flow pore size of greater than or equal to about 0.5 microns and less than or equal to about 30 microns, and   wherein the battery separator has a percent loss of breakdown voltage of less than or equal to about 80%.   
     
     
         5 . A battery separator as in  claim 1  wherein the non-woven web comprises, a plurality of synthetic fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 1 wt. % and less than or equal to about 80 wt. % of the non-woven web. 
     
     
         6 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven web comprises a plurality of synthetic fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 5 wt. % and less than or equal to about 50 wt. % of the non-woven web. 
     
     
         7 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven web comprises a plurality of inorganic particles, wherein the inorganic particles are resistant to sulfuric acid, and wherein the inorganic particles are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 30 wt. % and less than or equal to about 60 wt. % of the non-woven web. 
     
     
         8 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein non-woven web further comprises a binder resin. 
     
     
         9 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the non- woven web comprises one or more sulfate salts, wherein the one or more sulfate salts are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 0.5 wt. % and less than or equal to 5 wt. % of the non-woven web. 
     
     
         10 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven web comprises one or more antioxidants, wherein the antioxidants are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 0.1 wt. % and less than or equal to aboutl wt. % of the non-woven web. 
     
     
         11 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven web comprises one or more rubbers, wherein the one or more rubbers are present in an amount of greater than or equal to about 2 wt. % and less than or equal to about 20 wt. % of the non-woven web. 
     
     
         12 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the battery separator is a lead acid battery separator. 
     
     
         13 . A battery separator as in  claim 11 , wherein the rubber is a natural rubber. 
     
     
         14 . A battery separator as in  claim 11 , wherein the rubber is in particulate form. 
     
     
         15 . A battery separator as in  claim 7 , wherein the sulfuric acid resistant inorganic particles have a surface area of greater than or equal to about 10 m 2 /g and less than or equal to about 2,000 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         16 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the battery separator is greater than or equal to about 0.1 mm and less than or equal to about 1 mm. 
     
     
         17 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the mean flow pore size of the battery separator is greater than or equal to about 0.2 microns and less than or equal to about 30 microns. 
     
     
         18 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the mean flow pore size of the battery separator is greater than or equal to about 1 micron and less than or equal to about 30 microns. 
     
     
         19 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the puncture strength of the battery separator is greater than or equal to about 1.5 N and less than or equal to about 15 N. 
     
     
         20 . A battery separator as in  claim 1 , wherein the tensile strength of the battery separator is greater than or equal to about 15 kg/cm 2  and less than or equal to about 60 kg/cm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . A battery separator as in  claim 1  having a percent loss of breakdown voltage of less than or equal to about 80%, less than or equal to about 70%, less than or equal to about 60%, or less than or equal to about 50%. 
     
     
         22 . A lead acid battery comprising the battery separator of  claim 1 .