Charge/discharge characteristics of the coal-tar pitch carbon as negative electrode in Li-ion batteries

The charge/discharge characteristics were studied for the coal-tar pitch-based carbon (CTPC), which was pyrolyzed under the condition to form anisotropic mesophase pitch and then heat treated at temperatures ranging from 500 to 1300°C in N2 atmosphere. As the heat treatment temperature increased, the reversible capacity for the CTPC increased progressively up to 1000°C, while the irreversible capacity decreased continuously. Carbons synthesized through the extraction of anisotropic mesophases showed higher reversible and lower irreversible capacities than the directly pyrolyzed ones.