2. Nanostructured Electrode Materials for
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion battery currently represents the state-of-the-art
technology in small rechargeable batteries because of its many
merits (e.g., higher voltage, higher energy density, and longer
cycle life) compared with traditional rechargeable batteries
such as lead acid and Ni-Cd batteries. Typically, a lithium-ion
battery consists of a negative electrode (anode, e.g., graphite),
a positive electrode (cathode, e.g., LiCoO2), and a lithium-ionconducting
electrolyte (Fig. 1a). When the cell is charged, Li
ions are extracted from the cathode and inserted into the
anode. On discharge, the Li ions are released by the anode and