Alkaline cell with semisolid cathode

An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, wherein the cathode is a semisolid having a porosity between about 45% and 70%, wherein the percent utilization of MnO2 in said cathode is between about 40 and 70% when the cell is discharged continuously at 1 Amp to a cutoff voltage of 0.8 Volts (basis:

• 100% utilization at 308 mAmp-hr/g), wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution to said solids in the cathode is at a value between about 0.7 and 2.3.

An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, wherein the cathode comprises between about 40 and 80 percent by weight manganese dioxide and said cathode has a porosity between about 45 and 70%, wherein the percent utilization of MnO2 in said cathode is between about 40 and 70% when the cell is discharged continuously at 1 Amp to a cutoff voltage of 0.8 Volts (basis:

• 100% utilization at 308 mAmp-hr/g), wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution to the solids in said cathode is at a value between about 0.7 and 2.3.

An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, wherein said cathode has a porosity between about 45 and 70%, wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution in said cathode to total solids in said cathode is between about 0.7 and 2.3, wherein the electrolyte solution has a potassium hydroxide concentration of between about 30 and 51 percent by weight.

An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, wherein said cathode has a porosity of between about 45 and 70 percent, wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution to the solids in said cathode is at a value between about 0.7 and 2.3, wherein said cathode is a semisolid having a putty-like consistency so that it is readily penetrated at a temperature of 20° C. by tapping of a nail ({fraction (1/16)} inch diameter) at a 90° contact angle formed between the central longitudinal axis of the nail and the surface of the cathode, without shattering the cathode.

An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, wherein said cathode has a porosity between about 45 and 70%, wherein said aqueous electrolyte comprises between about 15 and 45 percent by weight of said cathode and said aqueous electrolyte has a potassium hydroxide concentration of between about 30 and 51 percent by weight, wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution to the solids in said cathode is at a value between about 0.7 and 2.3.

An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising zinc and a semisolid cathode comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, wherein said cathode has a porosity between about 45 and 70%, wherein said semisolid cathode comprises between about 40 and 80 percent by weight manganese dioxide, wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution to the solids in said cathode is between about 0.7 and 2.3.

A method of loading a cathode mixture into a cylindrical casing for an alkaline cell, said casing having an open end and a closed end, the method comprising the steps of forming a cathode mixture comprising solids comprising manganese dioxide and an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising potassium hydroxide in admixture with said solids, inserting said cathode mixture into the open end of said casing so that a portion of the cathode mixture contacts the inside surface of said casing, wherein said cathode mixture in said casing is in a semisolid state and has a porosity between about 45 and 70%, wherein the volume ratio of electrolyte solution to the solids in said cathode mixture is at a value between about 0.7 and 2.3.