Abstract
Manganese dioxide ($MnO_2$) is one of the most important cathode materials used in both aqueous and non-aqueous batteries. The $MnO_2$ polymorph that is used for lithium primary batteries is synthesized either by electrolytic (EMD-$MnO_2$) or chemical methods (CMD-$MnO_2$). Commonly, electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) is used as a cathode mixture material for dry-cell batteries, such as a alkaline batteries, zinc-carbon batteries, rechargeable alkaline batteries, etc. The characteristics of lithium/manganese-dioxide primary cells fabricated with EMD-$MnO_2$ powders as cathode were compared as a function of the parameters of a manufacturing process. The flexible primary cells were prepared with EMD-$MnO_2$, active carbon, and poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder (10 wt.%) coated on an Al foil substrate. A cathode sheet with micro-porous showed a higher discharge capacity than a cathode sheet compacted by a press process. As the amount of EMD-$MnO_2$ increased, the electrical conductivity decreased and the electrical capacity increased. The cell subjected to heat-treatment at $200^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr showed a high discharge capacity. The flexible primary cell made using the optimum conditions showed a capacity and an average voltage of 220 mAh/g and 2.8 V, respectively, at $437.5{\mu}A$.