PROCESS FOR PRODUCING CARBON PARTICLES FOR ELECTRODE, CARBON PARTICLES FOR ELECTRODE, AND NEGATIVE-ELECTRODE MATERIAL FOR LITHIUM-ION SECONDARY BATTERY
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing carbon particles for an electrode, the carbon particles being highly suitable for use as an electrode material, and being able to achieve a high charge/discharge efficiency and durability when used as a negative-electrode material in lithium-ion secondary batteries. The present invention provides a method of producing carbon particles for an electrode, each containing particles of a metal capable of forming an alloy with lithium, being formed by an aggregation of numerous fine particles composed of carbon, and having a hollow open-cell structure in which cells among the fine particles form a plurality of interconnected pores. The method includes the steps of: mixing together a monomer having a low compatibility with a polymer to be formed, an organic solvent having a low compatibility with the polymer to be formed, and particles of a metal capable of forming an alloy with lithium, to prepare a monomer-containing mixture; dispersing the mo