NOVELTY - The alkaline battery comprises a separator comprising porous fine fiber layers of wet-able polymeric fibers having a mean diameter of 50-1000 nm. The porous fine fiber layer permanently wets with strong alkaline electrolytes, and has a mean flow pore size of 0.01-15 mu m, a thickness of 0.1 mil (0.0025 mm) to 12 mil (0.3 mm) and a basis weight of 1-90 g/m2. The fiber polymer comprises a nonionic surfactant. The fibers are produced from a spinning solution of polymer by electro spinning or electroblowing, where the surfactant is added in the spinning solution.    USE - Used as an alkaline battery such as a zinc-manganese dioxide primary, zinc-manganese dioxide secondary, zinc-Air, zinc-silver oxide, nickel-zinc, cadmium-silver oxide, zinc-mercury oxide, cadmium-mercury oxide nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride or nickel-hydrogen battery (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The alkaline battery including a separator has enhanced capacity, improved life span and performance, reduced thickness, reduced ionic resistance, good dendritic barrier properties and good wicking and electrolyte absorption properties, and provides high resistance to short-circuiting.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The alkaline battery comprises a separator comprising porous fine fiber layers of wet-able polymeric fibers having a mean diameter of 50-1000 nm. The porous fine fiber layer permanently wets with strong alkaline electrolytes, and has a mean flow pore size of 0.01-15 mu m, a thickness of 0.1 mil (0.0025 mm) to 12 mil (0.3 mm) and a basis weight of 1-90 g/m2. The fiber polymer comprises a nonionic surfactant. The fibers are produced from a spinning solution of polymer by electro spinning or electroblowing, where the surfactant is added in the spinning solution. The surfactant is present at a level of 1-5 wt.% of the polymer. The porous fine fiber layers have differing characteristics consisting of thickness, basis weight, pore size, fiber size, porosity, air permeability, ionic resistance and tensile strength. The polymeric fibers are further coated with surfactant.