High energy density secondary lithium batteries

A method of making a negative electrode, comprising the steps of:

• providing the following constituents:
• (i) silicon nanoparticles;
• (ii) a mesophase petroleum pitch;
• (iii) a solvent;
• creating a homogenous slurry of the constituents (i)-(iii);
• coating the slurry onto the surface of a carbon fiber matrix;
• and
• thermally treating the slurry to carbonize the pitch and form a composite electrode.

A method of making a battery, comprising the steps of:

• (a) making a positive electrode, comprising the steps of
• providing carbon fiber, a binder composition comprising conductive carbon, and a lithium rich composition, the lithium rich composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of Li1+x(My MzII MwIII)O2 where x+y+z=1, and xLi2MnO3(1−x)LiMO2, where x=0.2-0.7, and where M, MII and MIII are interchangeably manganese, nickel and cobalt, and LiM2-xMxIIO4, where M and MII are manganese and nickel, respectively, with x=0.5;
• creating a homogenous slurry with at least the binder composition and the lithium rich composition and a solvent;
• and
• thermally treating the slurry and the carbon fiber to bind the binder composition, lithium rich composition, and carbon fiber together and form a composite electrode;
• (b) making a negative electrode, comprising the steps of providing the following constituents:
• (i) silicon nanoparticles;
• (ii) a mesophase petroleum pitch;
• (iii) a solvent;
• creating a homogenous slurry of the constituents (i)-(iii);
• coating the slurry onto the surface of a carbon fiber matrix;
• and
• thermally treating the slurry to carbonize the pitch and form a composite electrode;
• and,
• (c) interposing an electrolyte between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.