Patent ID: 6949312

Claim:
An electrode material for an anode of a rechargeable lithium battery, containing a particulate comprising an amorphous Sn.A.X alloy with a substantially non-stoichiometric ratio composition, wherein in said formula Sn.A.X, A indicates at least one kind of an element selected from the group consisting of transition metal elements, X indicates at least one kind of an element selected from the group consisting of O, F, N, Mg, Ba, Sr, Ca, La, Ce, Si, Ge, C, P, B, Pb, Bi, Sb, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Zn, Be, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, As, Se, Te, Li and S, where the element X is optionally present and the content of the constituent element Sn of said amorphous Sn.A.X alloy is Sn/(Sn+A+X)=20 to 80 atomic %, wherein said particulate comprising said amorphous Sn.A.X alloy has a specific surface area of more than 1 m 2 /g, wherein if said particulate comprising said amorphous Sn.A.X alloy contains O, then said particulate comprising said amorphous Sn.A.X alloy contains O in an amount in the range of from 0.05% by weight to 5% by weight, and wherein if said particulate comprising said amorphous Sn.A.X alloy contains F, then said particulate comprising amorphous Sn.A.X alloy contains F in an amount in the range of from 0.05% by weight to 5% by weight.