Powdered metal oxides of main group elements and conductive powders such as carbon black have been used to make negative electrodes for lithium-ion cells in a process that involves mixing the powdered active ingredients with a polymeric binder such as polyvinylidene fluoride. The mixed ingredients are prepared as a dispersion in a solvent for the polymeric binder, and coated onto a metal foil substrate, or current collector. The resulting composite electrode contains the powdered active ingredient in the binder adhered to the metal substrate.
Polymers, such as polyvinylidene fluoride, have been used as binders for metal, metal alloy, metal oxide and graphite-based lithium-ion cell electrodes. However, the first cycle irreversible capacity loss in the resulting cells can be unacceptably large, e.g., as large as 300 mAh/g or more for an electrode based on a powdered metal oxide material. In addition the capacity loss may be unacceptably large, e.g. as large as 70% capacity loss or more in 50 cycles for an electrode based on a powdered metal oxide material.