TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The lithium salt comprises lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium hexafluroantimonate, lithium perchlorate, lithium aluminate, lithium tetrachloroaluminate, lithium fluoride, lithium boride, lithium chloride, and/or lithium iodide. The cathode active material comprises lithium cobalt oxide, LiNi1-x'COx'O2, Li1-x"Mx"O2, Li(Nix'"Co1-2x'"Mnx'")O2, Li(Nix""Mnx:")O2, Li1+x'""(Ni,Co,Mn)1-y'Oz, LiM'2O4, LiM'"xMn2-x''O4, LiFePO4, LiM''PO4, vanadium V oxide, vanadium oxide, VO2(B), V6O13, V4O9, V3O7, Ag2V4O11, AgVO3, LiV3O5, delta -MnyV2O5, delta -NH4V4O10, Mn0.8V7O16, LiV3O8, CuxV2O5, CrxV6O13, M'"2(XO4)3, or Li3M""2(PO4)3. The cathode active material has an operating voltage of 5 V. The cathode active material comprises Li1+x'''(Ni,Co,Mn)1-x'''O2 or LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4. The anode active material is vanadium oxide, lithium vanadium oxide, silicon (Si), SiOx'''', Si-T alloy, graphite, soft carbon, hard carbon, mesophase pitch carbide, or sintered coke.x', y'= greater than or equal to 0 but lesser than 1;M=Mn or Fe;x"=greater than 0.03 but lesser than 0.1;x'"=greater than 0 but lesser than 5;x""=greater than 0 and greater than or equal to 0.5;x'""=greater than 0 but less than or equal to 1;z=2-4;M'=Ti, V, or Mn;x''=greater than 0 but lesser than 1;M''=Mn, Co, or Ni;M'"=transition metal;X=S, P, As, Mo, or W;M""=Fe, V, or Ti;x'''=0.05-0.2;x''''=greater than 0 but lesser than 2; andT=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Re, Fe, Pb, Ru, Os, Rh, Ir, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, Sn, In, Ti, Ge, P, As, Sb, Bi, S, Se, and/or Te.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The substituted derivatives comprise an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an ethylene oxide group, an alkylthio group, an ether group, an ester group, a hydroxyl group, an amine group, a thiol group, a ketone group, an epoxy group, a fluoro group, a chloro group, and/or a bromo group. The electrolyte comprises (wt.%) additive (0.005-5). The lithium salt comprises lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, lithium tris(trifluoromethane sulfonate) carbide, lithium bistrifluoromethylsulfonyl imide, lithium nonafluorobutane sulfonate, lithium tetraphenylborate, LiN(CxF2x+1SO2)(CxF2y+1SO2), and/or lithium bis(oxalato) borate. The nonaqueous organic solvent comprises a carbonate-based solvent, an ester-based solvent, an ether-based solvent, a ketone-based solvent, an alcohol-based solvent, and/or an aprotic solvent.x, y=natural number.