Process for making a wettable polyolefin battery separator

Patent · Tue Aug 29 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6763028

Cogliano, J A; Marans, N S

This invention is directed to a process for forming a wettable battery separator comprising a nonwoven mat of polyolefin fiber by forming a nonwoven mat of polyolefin fiber having a thickness in the range 10 to 40 mils and pore sizes less than 40 microns; contacting the mat with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble peroxy compound, e.g. hydrogen peroxide or potassium persulfate, at a temperature below 70/sup 0/C; rinsing the mat in water; and thereafter immersing the thus-treated mat in an aqueous solution of a hydrophilic vinyl monomer such as acrylic, methacrylic, vinyl sulfonic acid. This solution contains a redox catalyst, e.g. an ion of a transition metal, e.g. ferrous, cerous, cobaltous, or an organic amine. A graft polymerization of the hydrophilic vinyl monomer on the polyolefin mat takes place to give a wettable polyolefin battery separator. 1 table.

• Assignee: W. R. Grace and Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4110143
• OSTI ID: 6763028
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250903* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
ACRYLIC ACID
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BATTERY SEPARATORS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
FABRICATION
FIBERS
GRAFT POLYMERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
METHACRYLIC ACID
MIXTURES
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
MONOMERS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEROXIDES
PERSULFATES
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
REDOX REACTIONS
SOLUTIONS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VINYL MONOMERS