Abstract: A method for producing a lead acid battery that operates on the oxygen cycle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: assembling a cell comprising a positive plate, a negative plate, and a sheet of separator material which is an absorbent, porous filtration medium, so that there is free space between the plates and surfaces of the separator, inserting the cell into a case, introducing into the case a mixture of sulfuric acid and silica including silica from a never dried precipitated silica slurry, causing the sulfuric acid in the mixture in the free space to gel, and sealing the case. The sulfuric acid in the mixture in the free space can be caused to gel by an increase in the silica content thereof, by an increase in the specific gravity thereof, or by both an increase in the silica content thereof, and an increase in the specific gravity thereof.

Abstract: Various high performance, high efficiency, long service interval air filter media that are cost effective and easy to manufacture are provided. The filter media of the present invention can have at least two layers comprising blends of binder and non-binder fibers that are thermally bonded to one another and set to caliper in a high velocity forced draft oven. The layers can also be subsequently resin saturated, dried, and optionally cured. The resulting media can be characterized as having a gradient in properties such as fiber composition, fiber diameter, solidity, basis weight, and saturant content.

Abstract: Gel-forming battery separators and methods for constructing them. Particles are embedded into pores of a porous support to form a composite. The chemical make-up of surfaces of the particles includes a silanol group. The composite, when contacted with an effective amount of liquid electrolyte, is capable of forming a gelled matrix that includes electrolyte residing within the porous support. Batteries and methods of forming batteries featuring gel-forming separators are also disclosed. No pre-mixing of siliceous material with electrolyte is required facilitating battery construction.

Abstract: A method for producing a lead acid battery that operates on the oxygen cycle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: assembling a cell comprising a positive plate, a negative plate, and a sheet of separator material which is an absorbent, porous filtration medium, so that there is free space between the plates and surfaces of the separator, inserting the cell into a case, introducing into the case a mixture of sulfuric acid and silica including silica from a never dried precipitated silica slurry, causing the sulfuric acid in the mixture in the free space to gel, and sealing the case. The sulfuric add in the mixture in the free space can be caused to gel by an increase in the silica content thereof, by an increase in the specific gravity thereof, or by both an increase in the silica content thereof, and an increase in the specific gravity thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to wet laid nonwoven glass fiber webs, filter media formed of or containing wet laid nonwoven glass fibers webs, and methods of making the same using a wet laid processing technique. The filter media are particularly advantageous in that it has been discovered that adjusting the pH during wet laid processing will produce a glass fiber web having improved filtration properties. In particular, neutralizing the pH of a slurry containing mainly glass wool fibers unexpectedly yields a non-electret, filter media that has a gamma value of at least about 14, which is a significant improvement over non-electret, wet laid glass filter media currently on the market which have been shown to have a gamma value that does not exceed 13. The nonwoven glass webs prepared according to the present invention preferably contain a combination of glass wool fibers and chopped glass fibers.

Abstract: An electret filter media includes an additive or mixtures thereof that enhance the charge stability of the media. The filter media achieves acceptable alpha values for a range of filtration challenges without significant decay in alpha values over time. Preferred charge additives include fatty acid amides, oleophobic fluorochemical surfactants, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Gel-forming battery separators and methods for constructing them. Particles are embedded into pores of a porous support to form a composite. The chemical make-up of surfaces of the particles includes a silanol group. The composite, when contacted with an effective amount of liquid electrolyte, is capable of forming a gelled matrix that includes electrolyte residing within the porous support. Batteries and methods of forming batteries featuring gel-forming separators are also disclosed. No pre-mixing of siliceous material with electrolyte is required facilitating battery construction.

Abstract: An electret filter media includes an additive or mixtures thereof that enhance the charge stability of the media. The filter media achieves acceptable alpha values for a range of filtration challenges without significant decay in alpha values over time. Preferred charge additives include fatty acid amides, oleophobic fluorochemical surfactants, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a padded jaw animal trap with improved holding power in order to retain an animal caught in the trap. The padding of each jaw has a face with a concave geometrical arrangement such that when an animal is caught in the trap, the face deforms to a nearly planar surface forcing ridges of flesh on either side of the face. It is this ridge of flesh which increases the holding power of the padded jaw trap over the prior art.