A cathode for a lithium battery is described. The cathode includes: (a) a current collector including aluminum foil; and (b) an active cathode material including: (i) manganese dioxide; (ii) conductive materials; and (iii) a binder selected from the group consisting of linear di- and tri-block polymers, linear tri-block polymers cross-linked with melamine resin, ethylene-propylene copolymers, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, tri-block fluorinated thermoplastics, hydrogenated nitrile rubbers, fluoro-ethylene-vinyl ether copolymers, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermoplastic olefins, and polyvinylidine fluoride homopolymers.