Patent ID: 7358012

Claim:
An electrochemical cell comprising: (a) a cathode comprising an electroactive sulfur-containing material; (b) an anode comprising lithium; and (c) a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte comprises: (i) one or more nonaqueous solvents selected from the group consisting of acyclic ethers, cyclic ethers, polyethers, and sulfones; (ii) one or more lithium salts; and (iii) one or more N—O additives, wherein the one or more N—O additives comprise an inorganic nitrite selected from one or more of the group consisting of lithium nitrite, potassium nitrite, cesium nitrite, and ammonium nitrite: wherein the cell exhibits utilization of the electroactive sulfur-containing material of at least 60% and a charge-discharge efficiency of at least 80% over at least 10 cycles at a charge rate of about 0.2 mA/cm 2 and a discharge rate of about 0.4 mA/cm 2 .