Various embodiments are directed to an electrochemical cell having a non-homogeneous anode. The electrochemical cell includes a container, a cathode forming a hollow cylinder within the container, an anode positioned within the hollow cylinder of the cathode, and a separator between the cathode and the anode. The anode comprises at least two concentric anode portions, defined by different anode characteristics. For example, the two anode portions may contain different surfactant types, which provides the two anode portions with different charge transfer resistance characteristics. By lowering the charge transfer resistance of a portion of an anode located proximate the current collector of the cell (and away from the separator) relative to an anode portion located adjacent the separator, improved cell discharge performance may be obtained.

An alkaline battery, and a component cathode including a solid ionically conducting polymer material.

A separator for alkaline batteries, which exhibits excellent strength, dimensional stability and chemical stability in an electrolyte solution, while having high shielding properties, high liquid holding properties and low resistance. A separator for alkaline batteries, which is used for the purpose of separating a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material from each other, and holding an electrolyte solution, and which is obtained by stacking and integrating a fiber layer A that has a density of 0.52-0.62 g/cm.sup.3 and a thickness of 25-35 μm and a fiber layer B that has a density of 0.40-0.50 g/cm.sup.3 and a thickness of 25-35 μm, so that the entirety of the separator has a density of 0.45-0.57 g/cm.sup.3 and a thickness of 50-70 μm.

A biodegradable solid aqueous electrolyte composition, an electrochemical device incorporating the electrolyte composition, and methods for the same are provided. The electrolyte composition may include a rubber-like hydrogel including a copolymer and a salt. The copolymer may include at least two polycaprolactone chains coupled with a polymeric center block. The polymeric center block may include polyvinyl alcohol. The hydrogel may be biodegradable. The electrochemical device may include an anode, a cathode, and the electrolyte composition disposed between the anode and the cathode.

An alkaline dry battery including: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and an alkaline electrolyte retained in the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material containing zinc, and an additive. The additive includes a sulfur-containing cyclic compound.

An alkaline dry battery including: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and an alkaline electrolyte retained in the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material containing zinc, and an additive. The additive includes a sulfur-containing cyclic compound.

An example composition is disclosed. For example, the composition includes a ultra-violet (UV) curable mixture of water, an acid, a phosphine oxide with one or more photoinitiators, a water miscible polymer, a salt, and a neutralizing agent. The composition can be used to form an electrolyte layer that can be cured in the presence of air when printing the thin-film battery.

An alkaline electrochemical cell includes a cathode; a gelled anode having an anode active material and an electrolyte; and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode; wherein the separator includes a non-conductive, porous material having a mean pore size of about 1 micron to about 5 microns, a maximum pore size of about 19 microns, and an air permeability of about 0.5 cc/cm.sup.2/s to about 3.8 cc/cm.sup.2/s at 125 Pa.

An alkaline dry cell includes a positive electrode; a negative electrode; a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and an electrolytic solution contained in the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator, wherein the electrolytic solution contains an alkaline aqueous solution. The negative electrode contains an additive and a negative electrode active material containing zinc; and the additive contains at least one selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and salts of the foregoing. The amount of the negative electrode active material contained in the negative electrode is from 176 to 221 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of water contained in the electrolytic solution. The amount of the additive contained in the negative electrode is from 0.1 to 1.0 part by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the negative electrode active material.