There are however also drawbacks in using cobalt-based compounds such as their high cost and their low thermostability. Manganese has similar advantages and a lower cost, however there are some problems associated with using manganese. The main problem is that manganese tends to dissolve into the electrolyte over time. For this reason cobalt is still the most common element which is used in the lithium compounds. There is much research being done into finding new materials which can be used to create cheaper and longer lasting Li-ion batteries

Anodes
The anodes used in mass-produced Li-ion batteries are either carbon based (usually graphite) or made out of spinel lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12). Graphite anodes have been successfully implemented in many modern commercially available batteries due to its cheap price, longevity and high energy density. However, it presents issues of dendrite growth, with risks of shorting the battery and posing a safety issue. Li4Ti5O12 has the second largest market share of anodes, due to its stability and good rate capability, but with challenges such as low capacity. During the early 2000, Silicon anode research began picking up pace, becoming one of the 2020s most promising candidates for future Lithium ion battery anodes. Silicon has one of the highest gravimetric capacities when compared to graphite and  Li4Ti5O12 as well as a high volumetric one . Furthermore, Silicon has the advantage of operating under a reasonable open circuit voltage without parasitic lithium reactions. However, Silicon anodes have a major issue of volumetric expansion during lithiation of around 360%.
Note the difference in the flow of current and the flow of electrons, this is due to the discovery of the flow of current prior to the discovery of the electron. Benjamin Franklin surmised that the electrical flow moved from positive to negative. The electrons flow away from the anode and the conventional current towards it. From both can be concluded that the charge of the anode is negative. The electron entering the anode comes from the oxidation reaction that takes place next to it. Cathode
The cathode is in many ways the opposite of the anode. The name (also coined by William Whewell) comes from the Greek words κάτω (kato), downwards and ὁδός (hodós), a way. It is the positive electrode, meaning the electrons flow from the electrical circuit through the cathode into the non-metallic part of the electrochemical cell. At the cathode, the reduction reaction takes place with the electrons arriving from the wire connected to the cathode and are absorbed by the oxidizing agent. Primary cell
A primary cell is a battery designed to be used once and then discarded. This is due to the electrochemical reactions taking place at the electrodes in the cell not being reversible. An example of a primary cell is the discardable alkaline battery used in for example flashlights. Consisting of a zinc anode and a manganese oxide cathode in which ZnO is formed.