A transient one-dimensional mathematical model is developed and used to study the performance and thermal behavior of the silver-zinc cell during discharge. The model considers the negative (zinc) electrode, separator, and positive (silver) electrode and describes the simultaneous electrochemical reactions in the positive electrode, mass transfer limitations, and heat generation. Changes in porosity and electrolyte composition due to electrochemical reactions, local reaction rates, diffusion, and migration of electrolyte are reported. Emphasis is placed on understanding the movement of the reaction front in the negative electrode during discharge and its correlation to the useful capacity of the cell. The sensitivity of this capacity to changes in the values of initial electrolyte, exchange current densities, and tortuosity are presented. It is shown that under certain conditions, in a system employing 25% KOH as the electrolyte, the useful capacity of the cell could be limited to 55.6% of its rated capacity when the discharge rate is increased from 1C to 2C. The temperature rise in a single cell was predicted and observed to agree with the experimental values. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.