Résumé dans la langue de publication, traduction non disponible After spindle-shaped organic macromolecule units which are the structural units of a belt-like spongy organic macromolecular sheet is deformed into a prescribed shape by applying tensile forces in the longitudinal and lateral directions, the pores of the sheet are filled with a metal. Then by burning the sheet the macromolecules are removed and the metal is sintered. Thus a spongy metal substrate which contains 0.5 wt.% or more of carbon and has a metal lattice skeleton of which the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis is 1.7 or less is manufactured. An electrode is obtained by impregnating the spongy metallic substrate with an electrode active material. The electrode, a separator and a counter electrode are put together. Then a spiral electrode body is obtained by winding the composite body in the direction of the major axis of the metal lattice skeleton. An alkaline battery is thus manufactured by using the spiral electrode body.