The use of a novel mesophase pitch-based carbon-fiber web as the negative electrode in lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

The electrochemical performance of a novel mesophase pitch-based carbon-fiber web as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries was investigated. The web has been prepared using an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol without organic solvents. The dispersion of mesophase pitch in a PVA water solution was electrospun to form a web of nanofibers. The web was heat-treated at 2800 °C in argon. Electrically conductive web-based electrodes were fabricated without a copper current collector and binder, which will lead to more compact and economical LIBs. The reversible capacity for a graphite powder used for comparison was larger than that for the web at lower rates (50-100 mA/g), but the capacity for the web was lager than that for the graphite powder at higher rates (100-3000 mA/g). The results are partially attributable to the difference in their specific surface areas. The capacity and the rate performance of the mesophase pitch-based carbon-fiber web at higher rates improved when the web was pulverized due to an increase of the specific surface area.