The performance and safety of rechargeable batteries depend strongly on the materials used. Lithium insertion materials suitable for negative and positive insertion electrodes are reviewed. Future trends, such as alternative materials for achieving higher specific charges—the Figure shows a scheme for reversible lithium storage in a high specific charge carbonaceous material—are discussed.

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Two series of related poly(oxadiazole-amide)s have been synthesized by solution polycondensation reaction of aromatic diamines containing preformed 1,3,4-oxadiazole rings with diacid chlorides having silicon or hexafluoroisopropylidene groups. All these polymers were soluble in polar amidic solvents, such as N -methylpyrrolidinone and dimethylformamide and gave thin transparent free-standing films on casting their solutions. The polymers exhibited high thermal stability, with the initial decomposition temperature being above 400 • C. Most of these polymers did show a glass transition, being in the temperature range of 238-275 • C. Very thin coatings, in the range of tens of nanometres, which were deposited onto silicon wafers exhibited smooth and pinhole-free surfaces in atomic force microscopy investigations. The study of photoluminescence properties revealed that some of these compounds emit blue light, in the range of 440-475 nm. All these characteristics are discussed and compared with those of conventional aromatic poly(1,3,4-oxadiazole)s.

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