Primary electrochemical cell capable of high discharge rates

Claim 1

A primary electrochemical cell which is capable of achieving high discharge currents comprising an outer cell casing, a first terminal on the exterior of the casing, an electrochemical system for a primary electrochemical cell including an anode material connected to the first terminal, a cathode material comprising a plurality of porous, semi-rigid, discrete globules having the following composition: from about 40 to 99 weight percent of carbon black, at least 1 percent of a mechanical binder which is inert in the primary electochemical cell, and the remainder being graphite, said discrete globules being spaced from one another to thereby define spaces therebetween, and an electrolytic solution including a cathode depolarizer that is electrochemically reduced on the surface of the cathode material during discharge of said cell, a porous separator of non-conductive material disposed between the anode material and the cathode material, a second terminal located on the exterior of the casing, means for electrically insulating the second terminal from the first terminal, and a cathode current collector connecting the cathode material to the second terminal, the cathode current collector comprising a plurality of electrically interconnected layers of porous metallic material, the cathode material globules being interposed between the layers of cathode current collector so that the cathode current collector extends throughout the cathode material, the electrolytic solution being diffused throughout the porous separator and the porous cathode current collector through the spaces between the plurality of discrete cathode globules.