Electrochemical behavior of compacted lithium powder electrode in Li/V ₂O₅ rechargeable battery

Lithium powder is safely prepared by the droplet emulsion technique and compacted to provide a lithium powder anode. Using the compacted Li powder anode, high specific energy density cells are assembled with a nonlithiated cathode such as V₂O₅. The capacity and cycle capability of a lithium powder/V₂O₅ cell are tested. The lithium powder cell is found to maintain its initial capacity for more than 100 cycles, whereas the lithium foil cell exhibited capacity fading after 37 cycles. The lithium powder with a double-sided cathode cell, whose cathode/anode ratio is about 1/10 in capacity, shows a capacity of 450 mAh g^-1 at a rate of C/2 for over 40 cycles. The morphological changes of a Li foil and a Li powder anode after 50 cycles are observed by scanning electron microscopy. Impedance behavior of the powder anode cell is also observed and compared to that of the foil cell.