High reversible capacity carbon-lithium negative electrode in polymer electrolyte

Cabonaceous materials from different types are used in polymer electrolyte-based lithium cells in order to evaluate their electrochemical performance during lithium storage in the application as the negative electrode in lithium-ion-type batteries. The formation of a passivating film during the first cathodic polarization may account for the low faradaic yield of the first cycle. It also plays an important role in the stabilization of the carbon/polymer electrolyte interface. Non-graphitized mesocarbon micro beads lead to a higher reversible capacity of 410 mAh/g than the graphitized one. It is suggested that lithium could be reversibly stored as a multilayer ‘deposit’ at the carbon surface. A model of epitaxial lithium electroplating is presented.