A bipolar battery comprising: a) one or more stacks of battery plates assembled into electrochemical cells comprising: one or more bipolar plates comprising a substrate having an anode on one surface and a cathode on the opposite surface, a monopolar plate comprising a substrate having a cathode deposited on one surface, and a monopolar plate comprising a substrate having an anode deposited on one surface, wherein the battery plates (43, 44) are arranged such that the surfaces of the battery plates having a cathode deposited on the surface face the surface of another battery plate having an anode deposited on the surface, and the monopolar plates are located at opposite ends of each stack of battery plates; b) a liquid electrolyte disposed between each pair of battery plates, wherein the liquid electrolyte functions with an anode and cathode pair to form an electrochemical cell; c) a separator located between the anode and the cathode of the electrochemical cell, wherein the separator is in the form of a sheet having adhered to its periphery a frame adapted to be placed adjacent to a periphery of the substrate of the battery plates; and d) a membrane comprising a thermoplastic polymer is disposed about an entire periphery of edges of the one or more stacks of battery plates so as to form a seal about the periphery of the edge of the battery plates which seal prevents the liquid electrolyte from flowing outside of the one or more stacks of battery plates, wherein the membrane is adhered to the edges of each stack of monopolar and bipolar plates (43, 44) such that the membrane is bonded to the edge of the battery plates whereby the membrane seals the edges of the plates and isolates the electrochemical cells, wherein the membrane is a sheet of a polymeric material and (a) the sheet is a single unitary sheet that is wrapped about an entire periphery of the stack or (b) the membrane comprises membranes, each membrane having a size corresponding to the size of a side of the stack to which it is bonded and the membranes are bonded to each side of the stack. a) one or more stacks of battery plates assembled into electrochemical cells comprising: one or more bipolar plates comprising a substrate having an anode on one surface and a cathode on the opposite surface, a monopolar plate comprising a substrate having a cathode deposited on one surface, and a monopolar plate comprising a substrate having an anode deposited on one surface, wherein the battery plates (43, 44) are arranged such that the surfaces of the battery plates having a cathode deposited on the surface face the surface of another battery plate having an anode deposited on the surface, and the monopolar plates are located at opposite ends of each stack of battery plates; one or more bipolar plates comprising a substrate having an anode on one surface and a cathode on the opposite surface, a monopolar plate comprising a substrate having a cathode deposited on one surface, and a monopolar plate comprising a substrate having an anode deposited on one surface, wherein the battery plates (43, 44) are arranged such that the surfaces of the battery plates having a cathode deposited on the surface face the surface of another battery plate having an anode deposited on the surface, and the monopolar plates are located at opposite ends of each stack of battery plates; b) a liquid electrolyte disposed between each pair of battery plates, wherein the liquid electrolyte functions with an anode and cathode pair to form an electrochemical cell; c) a separator located between the anode and the cathode of the electrochemical cell, wherein the separator is in the form of a sheet having adhered to its periphery a frame adapted to be placed adjacent to a periphery of the substrate of the battery plates; and d) a membrane comprising a thermoplastic polymer is disposed about an entire periphery of edges of the one or more stacks of battery plates so as to form a seal about the periphery of the edge of the battery plates which seal prevents the liquid electrolyte from flowing outside of the one or more stacks of battery plates, wherein the membrane is adhered to the edges of each stack of monopolar and bipolar plates (43, 44) such that the membrane is bonded to the edge of the battery plates whereby the membrane seals the edges of the plates and isolates the electrochemical cells, wherein the membrane is a sheet of a polymeric material and (a) the sheet is a single unitary sheet that is wrapped about an entire periphery of the stack or (b) the membrane comprises membranes, each membrane having a size corresponding to the size of a side of the stack to which it is bonded and the membranes are bonded to each side of the stack.