Lithium-ion cell and method for activation thereof

A method for fabricating an activated lithium-ion cell, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an anode comprising carbonaceous insertion compound;
• providing a cathode comprising lithiated metal oxide;
• juxtaposing said anode and cathode, separated by a dielectric sheet which is porous to ions, to thereby define a cell;
• filling said cell with an electrolyte in which lithium salt is dissolved, which decomposes into its constituents at a given voltage, to thereby produce an electrolyte-filled cell;
• following said step of filling said cell, charging said cell at a first current density for a period in excess of one hour;
• following said step of charging said cell at a first current density, essentially open-circuiting said cell for a further period in excess of one hour;
• following said step of open-circuiting, charging said cell at a second current density, which second current density is greater than said first current density, to a voltage less than said given voltage and greater than a predetermined voltage at which predetermined voltage the cell has sufficient capacity;
• and
• discharging said cell to a voltage which represents at least one lithium ion to sixty carbon atoms in the anode at a third current density, said third current density being at least ten times said first current density, to thereby produce said activated lithium-ion cell.