Anode material for high power lithium ion batteries

1. A battery comprising:

a carbonaceous anode comprising graphite particles selected from the group consisting of synthetic graphite particles, carbon-coated graphite particles, carbonized petroleum coke particles, carbon-coated coke particles and mixtures thereof; and

a lithium manganese oxide spinel cathode with a valence above 3.5,

wherein the carbonaceous anode is obtained by:

a) determining the initial coulombic efficiency and the specific capacity of the lithium manganese oxide spinel cathode in a cell against lithium metal;

b) selecting a desired mixture of the graphite particles;

c) comparing the initial coulombic efficiency of the graphite particles to that of the lithium manganese oxide spinel cathode; and

d) selecting the appropriate amount and mixture of the graphite particles so that the initial coulombic efficiency of the carbonaceous anode is lower than that of the lithium manganese oxide spinel cathode

wherein the cathode is not fully discharged at the cut-off cell voltage and

wherein the initial coulombic efficiency of the anode is at least 2% lower than that of the cathode when each electrode is evaluated against a Li metal and wherein the initial coulombic efficiency of the carbonaceous anode is evaluated in a half cell against lithium metal, and the useable specific capacity of the anode is greater than 250 mAh/g measured in a cell against the Li metal at a cut-off voltage of 1.5 volts.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the volumetric density of the anode is between 1.85 and 2.15 g/cc which is measured using helium gas displacement technique.

3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises at least two members of the group of graphite particles.

4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the amount of carbon-coated coke particles range from 3% to 100% of the total anode mixture.

5. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the amount of carbon-coated graphite particles range from 50% to 100% of the total anode mixture.

6. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the amount of carbonized petroleum coke particles range from 5% to 100% of the total anode mixture.

7. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the average oxidation state of the lithium manganese oxide spinel cathode does not drop below 3.525 after an initial formation cycle.