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. The positive electrode includes a manganese dioxide, the negative electrode includes zinc and/or a zinc alloy, and the alkaline electrolyte includes at least one sulfonyl group-containing anion selected from the group consisting of a bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide anion, a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion, and a fluorosulfonate anion.

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. The positive electrode includes a manganese dioxide, the negative electrode includes zinc and/or a zinc alloy, and the alkaline electrolyte includes at least one sulfonyl group-containing anion selected from the group consisting of a bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide anion, a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion, and a fluorosulfonate anion.

An alkaline dry battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an alkaline electrolytic solution contained in the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material including zinc, and an additive. The additive includes at least one selected from the group consisting of maleic acid, maleic anhydride and maleate salts.

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.

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.

To provide electrolytic manganese dioxide excellent in low rate characteristics and middle rate characteristics when used as a cathode material for alkaline manganese dry cells, and a method for its production.

Electrolytic manganese dioxide of which the apparent density is at least 4.0 g/cm.sup.3 and at most 4.3 g/cm.sup.3, and the mode particle size is at least 30 μm and at most 100 μm; a method for its production and its application.

A gelled anode for an alkaline electrochemical cell contains zinc-based particles, an alkaline electrolyte, a gelling agent, and two or more additives selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide, an organic phosphate ester surfactant, a metal oxide, and tin, which as reduced cell gassing properties relative to cells lacking such additives.

A gelled anode for an alkaline electrochemical cell contains zinc-based particles, an alkaline electrolyte, a gelling agent, and two or more additives selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide, an organic phosphate ester surfactant, a metal oxide, and tin, which as reduced cell gassing properties relative to cells lacking such additives.

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