A primary alkaline battery includes a cathode having manganese dioxide and carbon particles, an anode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte. The carbon particles include expanded graphite particles and non-expanded graphite particles. The expanded graphite particles have a kerosene absorption greater than about 2.7 milliliters per gram.
1. A primary alkaline battery, comprising:
a cathode comprising
between about 85% and about 90% of manganese dioxide by weight and
expanded graphite particles having a total pore volume greater than about 0.1 milliliter per gram;
an anode;
a separator; and
an alkaline electrolyte.
2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the expanded graphite particles have a total pore volume greater than about 0.15 milliliter per gram.
3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the expanded graphite particles have a total pore volume greater than about 0.2 milliliter per gram.
4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises between about 2% and about 10% of expanded graphite particles by weight.
5. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises between about 3% and about 6% of expanded graphite particles by weight.
6. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises non-expanded graphite particles.
7. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the carbon particles comprise between about 75% and 25% of expanded graphite particles by weight and between about 25% and 75% of non-expanded graphite particles by weight.
8. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the carbon particles comprise between about 60% and 40% of expanded graphite particles by weight and between about 40% and 60% of non-expanded graphite particles by weight.
9. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the non-expanded graphite particles have an average particle size of less than about 40 microns.
10. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises zinc.