A lead-acid battery comprising: a positive plate or electrode; a negative plate or electrode; and a separator disposed between the positive plate and the negative plate to electrically insulate the positive and negative plates, the separator comprising: (III.i) a microporous polymer membrane; and (III.ii) at least one nonwoven fiber mat that is positioned adjacent the microporous polymer membrane so as to reinforce the microporous polymer membrane, the nonwoven fiber mat including: (III.ii.a) a plurality of glass fibers; (III.ii.b) an acid resistant binder that couples the plurality of glass fibers together to form the nonwoven fiber mat; and (III.ii.c) a polymer component impregnated within the plurality of glass fibers, (III.ii.d) wherein the polymer component comprises a functional group that is coupled with a polymer backbone of the acid resistant binder, said functional group is selected from the group consisting of: a hydroxyl group; a carboxyl group (COOH); a carbonyl group (=O, aldehydes and ketones); an amino group (NH 2); a sulfhydryl group (-SH); and a phosphate group (-PO 4) and wherein the polymer component interacts with water or an electrolyte of the lead-acid battery to increase a wettability of the nonwoven fiber mat by enabling the polymer coated glass fibers to form a contact angle with a 33 wt.% sulfuric acid solution of 70° or less measured in accordance with ASTM D7334. a positive plate or electrode; a negative plate or electrode; and a separator disposed between the positive plate and the negative plate to electrically insulate the positive and negative plates, the separator comprising: (III.i) a microporous polymer membrane; and (III.ii) at least one nonwoven fiber mat that is positioned adjacent the microporous polymer membrane so as to reinforce the microporous polymer membrane, the nonwoven fiber mat including: (III.ii.a) a plurality of glass fibers; (III.ii.b) an acid resistant binder that couples the plurality of glass fibers together to form the nonwoven fiber mat; and (III.ii.c) a polymer component impregnated within the plurality of glass fibers, (III.ii.d) wherein the polymer component comprises a functional group that is coupled with a polymer backbone of the acid resistant binder, said functional group is selected from the group consisting of: a hydroxyl group; a carboxyl group (COOH); a carbonyl group (=O, aldehydes and ketones); an amino group (NH 2); a sulfhydryl group (-SH); and a phosphate group (-PO 4) and wherein the polymer component interacts with water or an electrolyte of the lead-acid battery to increase a wettability of the nonwoven fiber mat by enabling the polymer coated glass fibers to form a contact angle with a 33 wt.% sulfuric acid solution of 70° or less measured in accordance with ASTM D7334. (III.i) a microporous polymer membrane; and (III.ii) at least one nonwoven fiber mat that is positioned adjacent the microporous polymer membrane so as to reinforce the microporous polymer membrane, the nonwoven fiber mat including: (III.ii.a) a plurality of glass fibers; (III.ii.b) an acid resistant binder that couples the plurality of glass fibers together to form the nonwoven fiber mat; and (III.ii.c) a polymer component impregnated within the plurality of glass fibers, (III.ii.d) wherein the polymer component comprises a functional group that is coupled with a polymer backbone of the acid resistant binder, said functional group is selected from the group consisting of: a hydroxyl group; a carboxyl group (COOH); a carbonyl group (=O, aldehydes and ketones); an amino group (NH 2); a sulfhydryl group (-SH); and a phosphate group (-PO 4) and wherein the polymer component interacts with water or an electrolyte of the lead-acid battery to increase a wettability of the nonwoven fiber mat by enabling the polymer coated glass fibers to form a contact angle with a 33 wt.% sulfuric acid solution of 70° or less measured in accordance with ASTM D7334. (III.ii.a) a plurality of glass fibers; (III.ii.b) an acid resistant binder that couples the plurality of glass fibers together to form the nonwoven fiber mat; and (III.ii.c) a polymer component impregnated within the plurality of glass fibers, (III.ii.d) wherein the polymer component comprises a functional group that is coupled with a polymer backbone of the acid resistant binder, said functional group is selected from the group consisting of: a hydroxyl group; a carboxyl group (COOH); a carbonyl group (=O, aldehydes and ketones); an amino group (NH 2); a sulfhydryl group (-SH); and a phosphate group (-PO 4) a hydroxyl group; a carboxyl group (COOH); a carbonyl group (=O, aldehydes and ketones); an amino group (NH 2); a sulfhydryl group (-SH); and a phosphate group (-PO 4)