Electrodes including polyacrylate binders and methods of making and using the same

1. An electrode composition comprising:

a powdered active material capable of undergoing lithiation and delithiation; and

a non-elastomeric binder comprising lithium polyacrylate,

wherein the powdered active material comprises metallic silicon or an alloy of silicon, and wherein the amount of lithium polyacrylate is from 5 to less than 20 percent by weight of the weight of the total composition and wherein the lithium polyacrylate has a molecular weight of between about 75,000 grams/mole and about 500,000 grams/mole.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the powdered material further comprises a material selected from silver, tin, bismuth, carbon, lead, antimony, germanium, zinc, gold, platinum, palladium, arsenic, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten, tantalum, iron, copper, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zirconium, yttrium, a lanthanide, an actinide, and combinations thereof.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the powdered material further comprises iron, carbon, and titanium.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the powdered material comprises from about 65 to about 85 mole percent silicon, from about 5 to about 12 mole percent iron, from about 5 to about 12 mole percent titanium, and from about 5 to about 12 mole percent carbon.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the powdered material further comprises graphitic carbon.

6. An electrochemical cell comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode; and

an electrolyte,

wherein at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode comprises a

powdered active material capable of undergoing lithiation and delithiation, and

a non-elastomeric binder comprising lithium polyacrylate, wherein the powdered active material comprises metallic silicon or an alloy of silicon, and wherein the amount of lithium polyacrylate is from 5 to less than 20 percent by weight of the weight of the total composition and wherein the lithium polyacrylate has a molecular weight of between about 75,000 grams/mole and about 500,000 grams/mole.

7. The cell of claim 6 , wherein the cell further comprises a secondary electrochemical cell.

8. The cell of claim 6 , wherein the negative electrode comprises a silicon alloy.

9. The cell of claim 8 , wherein the alloy further comprises iron, carbon, and titanium.

10. The cell of claim 6 , wherein the negative electrode further comprises graphitic carbon.

11. A battery pack comprising at least one cell according to claim 6 .

12. A method of making an electrochemical cell electrode comprising:

providing a current collector;

providing a powdered active material capable of undergoing lithiation and delithiation; and

applying to the current collector a coating that comprises the powdered active material and lithium polyacrylate,

wherein the powdered active material comprises metallic silicon or an alloy of silicon, and wherein the amount of lithium polyacrylate is from 5 to less than 20 percent by weight of the weight of the total composition and wherein the lithium polyacrylate has a molecular weight of between about 75,000 grams/mole and about 500,000 grams/mole.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein applying the coating further comprises:

mixing the powdered material with a solution of lithium polyacrylate to form a dispersion;

milling the dispersion to form a coatable mixture;

coating the mixture onto the current collector; and

drying the coated current collector.