Patent ID: 7820328

Claim:
An electrochemical cell, which comprises: a) a conductive casing; b) an anode comprising an anode active mixture comprising an anode active material and an anode binder contacted to an anode current collector; c) a cathode comprising a cathode active mixture comprising a cathode active material and a cathode binder contacted to a cathode current collector; d) wherein at least one of the anode active mixture and the cathode active mixture is characterized as consisting essentially of the presence of pore spaces provided by substantially complete combustion of a sacrificial polymer that had been mixed therewith prior to the anode or the cathode active mixture having been heated to a temperature sufficient to decompose the sacrificial polymer, leaving behind a residual carbon in a quantity of about 6.9 ppm per ASTM D482 of a beginning amount of the sacrificial polymer present in the anode or the cathode active mixture; e) a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode to prevent direct physical contact between them housed inside the casing; and f) an electrolyte activating the cathode and the anode.