Current collector for lithium ion electrochemical cell

A method of operating an electrochemical cell that includes an anode comprising an intercalation carbon material, a cathode comprising a lithiated cathode active material, an electrolyte comprising an electrolyte solvent and salt that forms a lithium cation and an anionic counter ion, wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and cathode, and a cathode current collector which is positioned adjacent to the cathode on a side opposite to the electrolyte, wherein the cathode current collector comprises a redox polymer film and optionally a metal current collector substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging or recharging the electrochemical cell until the cell is fully charged whereby anionic counter ions are inserted in the redox polymer which is initially in a neutral state thereby oxidizing the redox polymer to render the redox polymer electronically conductive;
• (b) discharging the electrochemical cell wherein the oxidized redox polymer remains electronically conductive;
• and
• (c) overdischarging the electrochemical cell whereby essentially all of the anionic counter ions in the oxidized redox polymer are removed therefrom thereby converting the redox polymer from the oxidized state into a neutral state having an electronic conductivity of less than about 10.sup.-5 S/cm, said method characterized in that during the overdischarging step there is substantially no dissolution of the current collector substrate into the electrolyte solvent and there is substantially no decomposition of the electrolyte solvent to form gases.