Modifications of synthetic graphite for secondary lithium-ion battery applications

Experimentally, three types of synthetic graphite from TimRex (SFG44, SFG15 and KS6) were plated with copper electrolessly. The specific capacities of untreated TimRex samples are typically in the range of 140–280 mA h/g, with low coulombic efficiencies in the first few cycles of charge and discharge. Electroless copper plating on these graphites could substantially improve the material performance in discharge capacity and coulombic efficiency. Some improvement in high rate dischargeability was also observed.