METHOD FOR OPERATING A LITHIUM BATTERY INVOLVING AN ACTIVE MATERIAL OF A SPECIFIC ELECTRODE

摘要

The invention relates to a method for operating a lithium battery including at least one electrochemical cell that contains two electrodes placed on either side of a lithium ion-conducting electrolyte. One of the electrodes contains an active material that contains an alloy of at least one metal or semi-metal element and lithium, while the other electrode is a lithium source electrode. Said method includes the following steps: a) a preliminary step for implementing a method for preparing said active material of the above-mentioned electrode, said preparation method including a step for electrochemically incorporating lithium in a molar ratio Li/M up to 5 in a material consisting of at least one metal or semi-metal element capable of forming an alloy with lithium, said step being carried out under conditions sufficient for obtaining an active electrode material having a molar ratio Li/M (M being the element M as defined above) of at least 1/3 of the molar ratio when said material is completely alloyed with lithium, by means of which said active electrode material is obtained; and b) a step of operation by cycling said battery in lithium without the total delithiation of said electrode mentioned in step a). Step b) is carried out in a capacity domain corresponding to, at most, 2/3 of the total reversible capacity of the active material of said electrode.