Low-Temperature Characterization of Lithium-Ion Carbon Anodes via Microperturbation Measurement

The low-temperature performance limits of Johnson Matthey ~JM! 287 graphite and mesocarbon microbead ~MCMB! 6-10 coke were investigated using galvanostatic intermittent titration ~GITT! and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The poor lowtemperature (230°C) performance of graphite insertion anodes results from a low lithium insertion capacity because polarization or overpotential is higher than the stage transformation plateau potential. This results in a shorter plateau potential region containing the lithium-rich stages, e.g. ,L i 0.33C6 ,L i 0.5C6 , and Li1C6 . Overall, there is an incomplete transformation from Li-poor to Li-rich stages when the cutoff potential is limited to 0.0 V ~vs. Li/Li