Electrochemical intercalation of lithium-ion into carbon fibers prepared from synthetic cellulose precursor

A number of fibrous carbon materials have been investigated as intercalation host materials. Commercially available rayon fiber (synthetic cellulose) based carbon fibers were synthesized for use as anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The effects of oxidation and carbonization temperature, heating ramp rate, soak time and gaseous atmosphere during thermal treatment on the electrochemical performance of the carbon fibers were studied. Intercalation/deintercalation experiments were performed to evaluate the electrochemical performance of the carbon fibers. The highest reversible capacity and lowest irreversible capacity loss were obtained for carbon fibers carbonized at 1100C at a ramp rate of 10C/min held at soak times of 1 and 5 hours. Electrolyte containing 1M LiPF6 in 70/30 v/o EC:DMC proved to be most suitable for these carbon fiber materials. The influence of electrolyte composition (solvent and salt) on the reversible and irreversible capacities as well as on the intercalation/deintercalation potential profile were also studied.