Anodic performances of mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) prepared from synthetic naphthalene isotropic pitch

Mesocarbon Microbeads (MCMB) carrying five different types of hexagon align ment, parallel, deformed onion-like, longitude-like, longitude-like with di sclination, and Brooks/Taylor (latitude-like) were prepared and examined in their performances as an anode of a Li-ion battery. The first two beads we re prepared from naphthalene isotropic pitch without any inert materials, a nd the next two were from the same pitch by adding isotropic and anisotropi c coke grains as inert materials, respectively. The last one was prepared f rom coal tar pitch. Textures of graphitized MCMB were found to be influenti al on their anodic performances especially their cycle stability. A particu lar MCMB with longitude-like with disclination was the best in its cyclabil ity whereas Brooks/Taylor was worst, although their charge/discharge potent ial profiles were much the same regardless of MCMB textures. Their discharg e capacity ranged from 282 to 300 mAh/g, according to the graphitization ex tent, the uni-chromatic sphere showing the largest capacity. (C) 1999 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.