Metallic negative electrode materials for rechargeable nonaqueous batteries

Metallic negative electrode materials for nonaqueous lithium-ion batteries were prepared, characterized, and demonstrated, The materials with the best electrical performance are nickel-tin alloys, have small particle size, and can incorporate up to 550 mAb/g of lithium. These materials offer specific capacity, capacity density and reversibility comparable to tin oxides without the high irreversible capacity that has precluded tin oxide commercialization. When cycled galvanostatically, the nickel-tin alloys offer low capacity fade while reversibly incorporating lithium up to 327 mAb/g or 2140 mAh/mL, over four times the capacity density typical for current carbonaceous Li-ion negative electrode materials. The irreversible capacity associated with these materials is 26%, or 76 mAh/g, when utilized at 300 mAh/g. When utilized in prototype Li-ion cells vs. either a LiNi1-xCoxO2 or LiMn2O4 cathode material, low capacity fade was demonstrated while the metallic negative electrode material was utilized at 1500 mAh/mL. (C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(99)08-050-7. All rights reserved.