Electrochemical intercalation of single-walled carbon nanotubes with lithium

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) synthesized by laser ablation were el ectrochemically intercalated with lithium. As-grown SWNTs showed a reversib le saturation composition of Li1.2C6 (450 mAh g(-1)). After removing the im purity phases by filtration, the reversible saturation composition increase d to Li1.6C6 (600 mAh g(-1)), significantly higher than the ideal value of LiC6 (372 mAh g(-1)) for graphite. All the SWNT materials showed large irre versible capacities and voltage hysteresis. Upon processing the nanotubes b y ball-milling, the reversible Li capacity increased to 1000 mAh g(-1) (Li2 .7C6) while the irreversible capacity decreased to 650 mAh g(-1). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.