The nonaqueous electrolyte may be, for example, a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte which is prepared by dissolving an electrolyte in an organic solvent, or gel-like nonaqueous electrolyte which is a composite of a liquid electrolyte and a polymer material.
The liquid nonaqueous electrolyte is preferably prepared by dissolving an electrolyte in an organic solvent in the concentration of 0.5 mol/L to 2.5 mol/L.
Examples of the electrolyte include lithium salts such as lithium perchlorate (LiClO4), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4), lithium hexafluoroarsenate (LiASF6), lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3), and lithium bistrifluoromethylsulfonylimide [LiN(CF3SO2)2], and mixtures thereof. The electrolyte is preferably resistant to oxidation even at a high potential, and most preferably LiPF6.
Examples of the organic solvent include a cyclic carbonate such as propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), or vinylene carbonate; a chain carbonate such as diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), or methyl ethyl carbonate (MEC); a cyclic ether such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran (2MeTHF), or dioxolane (DOX); a chain ether such as dimethoxy ethane (DME) or diethoxy ethane (DEE); γ-butyrolactone (GBL), acetonitrile (AN), and sulfolane (SL). One of these organic solvents can be used alone or a mixed solvent can be used.
Examples of the polymeric material include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and polyethylene oxide (PEO).