ELECTRODE MATERIALS FOR RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM BATTERIES

FULLERENES ARE A NEWLY DISCOVERED FORM OF CARBON (GRAPHITE AND DIAMOND ARE THE OTHER TWO FORMS) WITH DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES AND AN UNUSUAL MOLECULAR STRUCTURE. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS INDICATED THAT FULLERENE ELECTRODE MATERIALS EXHIBIT UNIQUE ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES. IN THIS PHASE I EFFORT, FULLERNE NANOTUBE STRUCTURES WILL BE INVESTIGATED AS NOVEL ELECTRODE MATERIALS FOR LITHIUM ION STORAGE AND SUPPLY FOR RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM BATTERIES. FULLERENE ELECTRODES WILL BE FABRICATED BY VARIOUS TECHNIQUES AND FULLY CHARACTERIZED. THE NATURE OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL CHARGING AND DISCHARGING OF FULLERENE NANOTUBES AS A FUNCTION OF OPERATING CONDITIONS WILL BE ESTABLISHED. THE LITHIUM INTERCALATED FULLERENE NANOTUBES AS A FUNCTION OF OPERATING CONDITIONS WILL BE ESTABLISHED. THE LITHIUM INTERCALATED FULLERENE (CNLIX) ELECTRODES WILL ALSO BE CHARACTERIZED INCLUDING THEIR CAPACITY, STABILITY, AND DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS, AND EFFICIENCY TO ESTABLISH THEIR VIABILITY FOR A HIGH EFFICIENCY SECONDARY BATTERY AS A POWER SOURCE FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT.