Investigation of lithium peroxide as a positive electrode material in a lithium polymer electrolyte battery

{dollar}rm Li/Lisb2Osb2{dollar} polymer electrolyte cells were constructed and characterized electrochemically to examine the feasibility of {dollar}rm Li/Lisb2Osb2{dollar} as a positive electrode material. Lithium reference electrodes were successfully incorporated in the polymer electrolyte cells to separate cathode and anode potentials. The contribution to the specific capacity of the composite cathode (containing {dollar}rm Li/Lisb2Osb2{dollar}) from the carbon black (used to provide electronic conductivity) was determined. The presence of {dollar}rm Li/Lisb2Osb2{dollar} did influence the initial open-circuit potential of the composite cathode. However, the magnitude of the carbon black activity combined with the estimated error in specific capacity measurements made the identification of electrochemical activity from {dollar}rm Li/Lisb2Osb2{dollar} impossible. The large specific capacity (225 mA-hrs/g carbon) of the carbon black (Black Pearls 2000) in the potential range from +3.0 to +1.5 V (vs. Li/Li{dollar}sp+{dollar}) demonstrates the need for more careful evaluation of carbon blacks used to enhance the electronic conductivity of electrodes.; The largest specific capacities recorded during this study were obtained at temperatures below the polymer electrolyte phase transition ({dollar}<{dollar}50{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C). Depressed discharge profiles at temperatures above the polymer electrolyte phase transition may have been the result of co-intercalation of the polymer electrolyte. The reversibility of the carbon black was demonstrated during the charge/discharge cycling of a cell utilizing a carbon black cathode.