COATED LEAD ACID BATTERY ELECTRODE PLATES; METHOD FOR MAKING COATED ELECTRODE PLATES AND LEAD ACID BATTERIES CONTAINING COATED ELECTRODE PLATES

1 . An electrode plate for a lead acid battery having a coating comprising:

an electrode plate for a lead acid battery comprising a lead or lead alloy grid coated with an active material and

a porous, non-woven mat comprised of polymer fibers arranged with the electrode plate.

2 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the lead alloy is a lead-antimony, a lead-calcium or a lead-tin grid.

3 . The electrode plate of claim 2 wherein the alloy is a lead-antimony alloy.

4 . The electrode plate of claim 2 wherein the active material is a lead oxide active material.

5 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fibers have a fiber diameter of from about 5 nm and about 30 μm.

6 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fibers have a fiber diameter of from 500 nm to about 1 μm.

7 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a surface area of from 5 m2/g to about 500 m2/g.

8 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a surface area of from 50 m2/g to about 200 m2/g.

9 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a porosity of from 30% to about 90%.

10 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a porosity of from about 50% to about 70%.

11 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a thickness of from about 2 μm to about 2 mm.

12 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a thickness of from about 5 μm to about 500 μm

13 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating has a thickness of from about 20 μm to about 250 μm.

14 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fibers are cellulose acetate, polystyrene, polyethylene, Nylon 6, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, polylacetic acid, polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate, polymethyacrylate/tetrahydroperfluorooctylacrylate, polyethylene oxide, polymethacrylate, polyamide, polycaprolactone, polyethyl imide, polycaprolactam, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenyl ether, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene, polyvinyl-pyridine, polylactic acid, polypropylene, polybutylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyester, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyoxymethylene, polysulfone, styrene-acrylonitrile, polyacrylonitrile, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, styrene maleic anhydride, polyisoprene, natural rubber, cellulose, cellulose acetate, polyaniline, polyacrylonitrile, poly (ε-caprolactone), chitosan, Gelatin, Polyurethanes, poly (3-hydroxybutrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene fibers or combinations thereof.

15 . The electrode plate of claim 14 wherein the polymer fibers are cellulose acetate, polystyrene, polyethylene or Nylon 6 fibers.

16 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the polymer fiber coating further comprises an active agent.

17 . The electrode plate of claim 16 wherein the active agent is natural rubber, RSS 1 or V 60 rubber, a macromolecule, a chelating agent, silica, carbon black or combinations thereof.

18 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the electrode plate is a positive electrode plate for a lead acid battery.

19 . The electrode plate of claim 1 wherein the electrode plate is a negative electrode plate for a lead acid battery.

20 . A method for coating an electrode plate for a lead acid battery comprising the step of:

electrospinning a polymer onto the surface of an electrode plate collector, the electrode plate collector comprising a lead or lead alloy grid coated with an active material, to form a porous, non-woven mat coating comprised of polymer fibers on the surface of the electrode plate collector.

21 - 68 . (canceled)