Electrolyte for lithium battery, and lithium battery containing electrolyte

Abstract

An electrolyte for a lithium battery contains ethylene sulfite, which includes chloroethanol in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm. A lithium battery includes an electrolyte, which contains chloroethanol in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm.

1 . An electrolyte for a lithium battery consisting of ethylene sulfite, said ethylene sulfite containing chloroethanol in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm.  
     
     
         2 . A lithium battery comprising an electrolyte, said electrolyte containing chloroethanol in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm.  
     
     
         3 . An electrolyte according to  claim 1 , wherein said ethylene sulfite is obtained by a method of reacting ethylene glycol with thionyl chloride by a process including a rectification A, and providing at least one process which is another purification selected from the group consisting of washing with basic water, dehydration by refluxing, distillation (rectification B), and absorption before or after the rectification A.  
     
     
         4 . An electrolyte according to  claim 3 , wherein said method further comprises a simple distillation process of said raw ethylene sulfite or rectified ethylene sulfite which is conducted before said refining process.  
     
     
         5 . An electrolyte according to  claim 3 , wherein said absorbing process employs at least one absorbent selected from the group consisting of complex metal oxide, activated carbon and metal oxide.