New concepts for the search of better electrode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries

Today's rechargeable Li-ion batteries, whose principle goes back to the 1980s, operate by an electrochemical process entailing intercalation reactions that necessitate the use of electrode materials having very specific structures and properties, thus limiting considerably their number. Through the discoveries of new Li electrochemical-driven reactivity mechanisms involving either conversion or displacement reactions, we are showing herein that in the quest for new electrode materials, we no longer need materials with open structures or good electronic ionic conductivity, thus opening a new era for Li-ion research. A review of such new reaction schemes is presented, and their potential impact on applications is discussed. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier SAS on behalf of Academie des sciences.