Carbon based electrodes

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The electrochemical cells of the present invention generally include a cathode and the intercalation based carbon anode of the present invention.
Each electrode, the cathode as well as the anode, is capable of reversibly incorporating (e.
g.
, intercalating) an alkali metal ion.
The cell further comprises a polymeric matrix containing an electrolyte solution comprising an organic electrolyte solvent and a salt of the alkali metal.
Each electrode in the cell preferably has a current collector.
The electrochemical cells and batteries employing the carbon based anodes of the present invention preferably use lithium and salts thereof.
The anode used in the electrochemical devices of the present invention generally comprises an anode film that is laminated onto one or both sides of a current collector which is a thin metal foil or grid.
Typically, each anode film is from about 100 .
mu.
m to about 250 .
mu.
m in thickness, preferably about 110 .
mu.
m to about 200 .
mu.
m, and more preferably about 125 .
mu.
m to about 175 .
mu.
m.
The preferred anodes of the present invention are lithium intercalation anodes employing the carbon material of the present invention.
The carbon material is obtained by polymerizing, either chemically or electrochemically, a vinyl monomer having a conjugated matrix.
It is preferred that the conjugated matrix is comprised of an aromatic matrix.
For example, such vinyl monomers can include 4-vinyl anisole, 9-vinyl anthracene, 4-vinyl biphenyl, vinyl toluene, 2-vinyl naphthalene, as well as styrene.
Cyclohexalene ethylene is another appropriate vinyl monomer.
In general, the vinyl monomers are very advantageous as they are easily polymerized due to the vinyl substituent.
Such vinyl monomer polymerization is well known in the art.
The process used to polymerize the monomers can be any of those that are well known in the art for vinyl monomer polymerization.
A catalyst/oxidizing agent such as FeCl.
sub.
3, for example, can be used to aid in the polymerization of the monomers