An alkaline electrochemical cell, preferably a zinc/air cell which includes a container; a negative electrode, a positive electrode, wherein said negative electrode and said positive electrode are disposed within the container, and an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the negative electrode comprises zinc, a branched chain fluorosurfactant, barium sulfate (and, more specifically, amino- and/or epoxy-functionalized barium sulfate) and nano sized zinc oxide. The negative electrode composition supports high zinc to electrolyte weight ratios.