Patent ID: 6436578
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of preparing an electrode composition comprising combining (a) a source comprising an electrochemically active metal element and (b) a source comprising a non-electrochemically active metal element to form an electrode composition according to a process selected from the group consisting of sputtering, ball milling, chemical vapor deposition, melt spinning, splat cooling, vacuum evaporation, spray atomization, and combinations thereof, said electrode composition characterized in that:(i) prior to cycling said electrochemically active metal element is in the form of an intermetallic compound or an element metal; (ii) when incorporated in a lithium battery and cycled through one full charge-discharge cycle, said electrode composition comprises crystalline regions and (iii) when incorporated in a lithium battery and cycled to realize about 100 mAh/g of said composition, said electrode composition exhibits a coulombic efficiency of at least about 99.0 % after 100 full discharge cycles.