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.

The invention relates to a pulp paper for flexible film zinc-manganese battery, which comprises a base paper with only one layer and slurry coated on both sides which comprises modified starch, polyelectrolyte, water retaining agent, organic/inorganic composite corrosion inhibitor, and electrolytes wherein the polyelectrolyte is one or more of polyglutamic acid, sodium polyglutamate, potassium polyglutamate, polyaspartic acid, sodium polyaspartate and sodium polyaspartate, and the water retaining agent is a sodium salt or a potassium salt of hyaluronic acid. The pulp paper in the invention has the advantages of thin layer, simple composition, fast absorption speed, large liquid absorption capacity, good liquid-retaining ability, good ionic conductivity and low wet resistance which boosts good application value in the field of flexible battery technology. The flexible film zinc-manganese battery applying the pulp paper has advantages of low resistance, large battery capacity, good high current and excellent pulse discharge capacity.

The invention relates to a pulp paper for flexible film zinc-manganese battery, which comprises a base paper with only one layer and slurry coated on both sides which comprises modified starch, polyelectrolyte, water retaining agent, organic/inorganic composite corrosion inhibitor, and electrolytes wherein the polyelectrolyte is one or more of polyglutamic acid, sodium polyglutamate, potassium polyglutamate, polyaspartic acid, sodium polyaspartate and sodium polyaspartate, and the water retaining agent is a sodium salt or a potassium salt of hyaluronic acid. The pulp paper in the invention has the advantages of thin layer, simple composition, fast absorption speed, large liquid absorption capacity, good liquid-retaining ability, good ionic conductivity and low wet resistance which boosts good application value in the field of flexible battery technology. The flexible film zinc-manganese battery applying the pulp paper has advantages of low resistance, large battery capacity, good high current and excellent pulse discharge capacity.

An anode composition, an alkali battery, a method of making a battery anode, and a method of making a battery, wherein the anode comprises a zinc or zinc alloy and a surfactant of formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are each individually selected from hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl, and aryl; y is null or 1, x is an integer from 2 to 30, n is an integer from 2 to 6, and M is hydrogen or an alkali metal; provided that: when two of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are hydrogen, at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 is a C.sub.4-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl; or, when each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are alkyl or aryl, at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 comprises a C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl; or when R.sub.1 is hydrogen, then (a) each of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 comprises a C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl or (b) at least one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 comprises a C.sub.3-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl.

An anode composition, an alkali battery, a method of making a battery anode, and a method of making a battery, wherein the anode comprises a zinc or zinc alloy and a surfactant of formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are each individually selected from hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl, and aryl; y is null or 1, x is an integer from 2 to 30, n is an integer from 2 to 6, and M is hydrogen or an alkali metal; provided that: when two of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are hydrogen, at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 is a C.sub.4-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl; or, when each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are alkyl or aryl, at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 comprises a C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl; or when R.sub.1 is hydrogen, then (a) each of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 comprises a C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl or (b) at least one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 comprises a C.sub.3-C.sub.12 alkyl or aryl.

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.

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.

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 ?m and at most 100 ?m; a method for its production and its application.

An alkaline electrochemical cell has a central cathode having a corresponding cathode current collector electrically connected with a positive terminal of the electrochemical cell. The cathode current collector has a tubular shape, such as a cylindrical shape or rectangular shape, extending parallel with the length of the central cathode. The cathode current collector is embedded within the central cathode, such as at a medial point of a radius of the central cathode, thereby minimizing the distance between the cathode current collector and any portion of the central cathode, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the cathode and facilitating charge transfer to the cathode current collector.