Lithium batteries: a new tool in solid state chemistry

Lithium batteries are being intensively studied owing to the considerable c hallenge they represent for applications. From a fundamental point of view, the shape of the charge/discharge curves gives information on all the stru ctural and physical properties modifications which occur during the interca lation/deintercalation process. Moreover, the electrochemical reaction is a way of synthesising metastable materials which cannot be obtained by class ical methods. The ease of monitoring very accurately either the cell voltag e (oxidation state of the material) or the number of electrons transferred (lithium content in the material) makes lithium batteries a new very conven ient tool for the solid state chemist. Typical examples are presented. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.