Abstract: An air depolarized battery with an improved sealing member for sealing the air inlet port(s) of the battery before use is disclosed. The sealing member has areas of relatively high and low permeability, with an area of low permeability over at least a portion of an air inlet port. The sealing member may comprise a plurality of layers, where the area of highest permeability includes a portion of the lowest permeability layer that has a higher permeability than a surrounding portion thereof. The rate of flow of air through the low permeability area and into the battery can be easily modified to maintain a desired battery open circuit voltage during battery storage to allow activation of the battery within a short time after removal of the sealing member, while minimizing losses in discharge capacity before use.