NOVELTY - A negative electrode (12) for a non-aqueous lithium cell (10) comprises a multi-component material electrochemically deposited onto a porous metal foam current collector. The multi-component material contains a first component that contains at least one metallic or metalloid element that can react with lithium to form a binary, ternary, quaternary or higher order compound and a second component containing at least one additional metallic element that does not readily react with lithium.    USE - As negative electrode for a non-aqueous lithium cell, in electrochemical cell and battery (claimed); in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that power widespread applications such as portable electronic devices (for e.g. cell phones and laptop computers), medical-, space-, aeronautic- and defense-related devices and in transportation applications such as electric and hybrid-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles.    ADVANTAGE - The negative electrode materials provide an operating potential of 0.05-2.0 V versus metallic lithium. The ability to form binary, ternary and higher order compounds enable the metal constituents to act as structural binding agents, thereby contributing to the integrity of the composite electrodes and together with the surrounding copper matrix, to the maintenance of electronic connectivity between individual particles during repeated charge and discharge, thus allowing for the design of binderless electrodes. The electrode exhibits significantly improved electrochemical behavior as they are fabricated by electrochemical deposition onto a three-dimensional, porous metal foam substrate such as a porous copper-foam substrate that is adhered to a copper foil substrate.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A negative electrode (12) for a non-aqueous lithium cell (10) comprises a multi-component material electrochemically deposited onto a porous metal foam current collector. The multi-component material contains a first component that contains at least one metallic or metalloid element that can react with lithium to form a binary, ternary, quaternary or higher order compound and a second component containing at least one additional metallic element that does not readily react with lithium. When the electrochemically deposited components individually are crystalline to X-rays, the structures of the crystalline components are ordered, partially disordered or disordered. When the electrochemically deposited components individually are poorly crystalline to X-rays, the structures of the poorly crystalline components are ordered, partially disordered or disordered. The electrochemically deposited components individually are amorphous to X-rays. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) an electrochemical cell comprising the electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte between them; and    (2) a battery comprising several of the electrochemical cells arranged in parallel and/or in series.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows schematic view of electrochemical cell.    Non-aqueous electrochemical lithium cell (10)    Negative electrode (12)    Electrolyte (14)    Positive electrode (16)    Insulating housing (18)