Ballmilling Elaboration of Li-Based Negative Electrode Materials

Ballmilling driven Li reactions are shown to be of great value to either mimic electrochemical discharge reactions in secondary Li cells or synthesize new single-phase Li-based materials. The former is illustrated by the reduction of CoO and to Co metal plus or respectively. To demonstrate the second effect, room temperature synthesis of and a member of a new class of promising negative electrode materials, is presented. Using Li powder as the basic ingredient, such reactions are rapid and easy to perform.