Electrochemical Intercalation of Lithium into Graphite in Acetonitrile Solutions: The Effect of the Anion Nature

Effect of the anion nature on the cathodic intercalation of lithium into graphite is studied. The duration of a discharge process and the capacity of Li_xC₆ electrodes increase in the row Cl^– HSO₄^– < ClO₄^– < SCN^–. The highest negative potential of an Li_xC₆ electrode is reached when lithiating in an LiSCN non-aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction and microstructure analyses confirm the presence in the electrode's upper layers of predominantly layered compounds Li_xC₆A_y, where A is anion. In deep layers, the principal intercalation product is Li_xC₆.