Thermally Stable and Flame-Resistant Elastomer-Protected Anode Layer and Lithium-Ion Battery

An anode active material layer for a lithium battery, said anode active material layer comprising:

• a) 50% to 95% by weight of multiple particles of an anode active material;
• b) 0.01% to 30% by weight of a conductive additive;
• and
• c) a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain no less than 5% (preferably from 5% to 2,500%, more preferably from 10% to 1,000%) when measured without an additive or reinforcement in said polymer and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10−7 S/cm at room temperature, wherein the high-elasticity polymer contains 0%-50% by weight of a lithium salt dispersed or dissolved therein and the polymer meets at least one of the following conditions:
• (i) the high-elasticity polymer comprises a thermally stable elastomer or rubber having a glass transition temperature or melting point higher than 250° C. (preferably higher than 275° C., more preferably higher than 300° C., and most preferably higher than 350° C., as measured by differential scanning calorimetry) or a thermal decomposition temperature higher than 350° C. as measured by a thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA);
• and (ii) the high-elasticity polymer comprises a flame retardant additive dispersed or dissolved therein.