TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Method: The mixing step includes mixing salt so that the salt and liquid polymer form a liquid polymeric electrolyte (116) that is a conductor of metal ions (such as alkali or alkaline earth metals), solvent, binder (108), conductive agent (104), and/or protective additive. The method may include drying the slurry. Preferred Properties: The composite electrode has density of less than or equal to8 g/cc (preferably 1.2-3 g/cc).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The active material is lithium-cobalt oxide, lithium-nickel oxide, LiNi1-xCoyMezO2 (Me: Mg, Ti, Zn, Al), LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2, LiMn0.3Co0.3Ni0.3O2, lithium-iron phosphate, lithium manganese oxide, lithium iron oxide, or LiMn1.5MeO4 (Me: Ni, Co, Fe). The active material may comprise negative active material(s), e.g. graphite, carbon, Li4Ti5O12, tin alloy, or intermetallic compound. The conductive agent comprises acetylene black, natural graphite, artificial graphite, graphite whiskers, graphite fibers, metal whiskers, and/or metal fibers. The metal is lithium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The active material is lithium-cobalt oxide, lithium-nickel oxide, LiNi1-xCoyMezO2 (Me: Mg, Ti, Zn, Al), LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2, LiMn0.3Co0.3Ni0.3O2, lithium-iron phosphate, lithium manganese oxide, lithium iron oxide, or LiMn1.5MeO4 (Me: Ni, Co, Fe). The active material may comprise negative active material(s), e.g. graphite, carbon, Li4Ti5O12, tin alloy, or intermetallic compound. The conductive agent comprises acetylene black, natural graphite, artificial graphite, graphite whiskers, graphite fibers, metal whiskers, and/or metal fibers. The metal is lithium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The salt is lithium bis(oxalato) borate or LiTFSi. The solvent is N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, and/or water. The protective additive comprises material(s) that decompose at voltage higher than 0.6 V and form a passivation film on the negative electrode. The protective additive is vinyl ethylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, sulfur dioxide, ethylene sulfide, and/or ethylene ethyl phosphate. The protective additive is present at less than 50 wt.% (based on total electrolyte).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The liquid polymer is saturated liquid polymer, polysiloxane liquid, or polysiloxane-g-ethylene oxide. It includes side chains with polyethylene oxide moieties. The ratio of polyethylene oxide in the liquid polymer is 5-50. The binder is polyvinylidene fluoride, styrene-butadiene rubber, acrylate binder, acrylonitrile/butadiene rubber, isoprene, natural rubber, and/or other rubber binder. The binder is present at less than 50 wt.% ( based on weight of composite electrode).