Lithium insertion in hydrogen-containing carbonaceous materials

Heated carbon materials were made fi om organic precursors between 550 and 1000 degrees C. High capacities for lithium were found in all of the samples heated below 800 degrees C, which all contain substantial hydrogen. The majority of this high capacity shows large hysteresis; that is the lithium is inserted near 0 V (versus lithium metal) and removed near IV. We show that the capacity exhibiting large hysteresis is proportional to the hydrogen content of the samples. We believe that Lithium atoms can bind quasi-reversibly on hydrogen-terminated edges of graphene fragments in carbonaceous materials.