Mechanism of lithium insertion in carbons pyrolyzed at low temperature

Carbons pyrolyzed at temperature ranging from 500°C to 1 000°C are promising materials for high-energy density lithium batteries. These carbons not only possess a capacity higher than the theoretical value of graphite, but also display a different electrochemical behavior from that of graphite. Mechanisms now available for this phenomenon are reviewed after the presentation of mechanism of lithiun intercalation in graphite. Based on the recent research, a new model for lithium insertion in carbons pyrolyzed at low temperature and sane ideas for further study are proposed.