Electrochemical characteristics of a carbon electrode with gel polymer electrolyte for lithium-ion polymer batteries

A study of the electrochemical performance of a carbon electrode prepared with mesocarbon microbeads is carried out in a new polymer electrolyte for application as the negative electrode in rechargeable lithium-ion polymer batteries. The polymer electrolyte is prepared by solution casting from a homogeneous mixture containing 18 wt.% acrylonitrile–methyl methacrylate–styrene (AMS) terpolymer, 73 wt.% 1 M LiClO4 in ethylene carbonate (EC)/dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and 9 wt.% silica. The lithium/polymer electrolyte/carbon half cell has a reversible capacity of 305 mA h−1 g in the voltage range 0.01 to 1.5 V at the C/10 rate and shows an attractive coulombic efficiency which is higher than 99% after the first three cycles. Good cycling performance of a lithium-ion polymer cell which comprises a carbon anode, an AMS-based polymer electrolyte and a lithium intercalation cathode (LiNi0.83Co0.17O2) has been achieved.