A binderless glass fiber mat suitable for use as a separator for valve regulated ("recombinant") lead acid ("VRLA") batteries is disclosed. The separator is produced by a dry process by collecting the fibers from fiberizing apparatus, without subjecting them to a wet paper making or other post forming process, and selecting portions of the collected fibers which are sufficiently uniform in thickness and grammage for use as battery separators. The fibers can be entwined to produce a superior separator material. Additives can be introduced during the collection process to enhance the properties of the separator. A battery comprises at least one stack of alternating positive and negative plates, with the separator between adjacent plates. Separators according to the invention are significantly more resilient and have longer fibers than otherwise identical separators made from different samples of the same glass fibers, but by a conventional wet paper making process.
Disclosed are glass compositions and glass fibers formed from certain embodiments of the disclosed glass compositions. Certain embodiments of the glass compositions include, among other components, bismuth oxide. Certain embodiments of the glass composition include about 0.5-30% bismuth oxide of the composition by weight and silica oxide at about 54-70% of the composition by weight. Embodiments of the glass compositions may also include other components. For example, zinc oxide can make up about 0.01-5% of the composition by weight.
Disclosed are glass compositions and glass fibers formed from certain embodiments of the disclosed glass compositions. Certain embodiments of the glass compositions include, among other components, bismuth oxide. Certain embodiments of the glass composition include about 0.5 30% bismuth oxide of the composition by weight and silica oxide at about 54 70% of the composition by weight. Embodiments of the glass compositions may also include other components. For example, zinc oxide can make up about 0.01 5% of the composition by weight.
Disclosed are glass compositions, glass fiber compositions, glass fiber battery separators, glass fiber filter media, battery additives and active materials formed with glass compositions disclosed, glass fiber radiation shields, and glass fiber paper compositions. Certain embodiments include, among other components, bismuth oxide. Certain embodiments include about 0.5 30% bismuth oxide of the composition by weight and silica oxide at about 54 70% of the composition by weight. Embodiments may also include other components. For example, zinc oxide can make up about 0.01 3% of the composition by weight.
Methods for enhancing one or more physical properties of wet-laid or dry-laid fiber mats, such as a glass fiber, cellulosic or polymeric fiber mats are disclosed and fiber mats made according to such processes. Certain embodiments of the methods involve vibrational compression of a wet-laid or dry-laid fiber mat. In some embodiments the methods produce a fiber mat having increased apparent density and/or tensile strength as compared to a mat that has not been vibrationally compressed. Exemplar fiber mats suitable for use in the disclosed methods include, for example, glass, polyolefin, ethylene terephthalate, or cellulose fibers, or mixtures thereof. Glass, cellulosic or polymeric fiber mats that are structurally improved by the disclosed methods are also disclosed.