TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Components: The electrochemically active material is an anode active material, where the anode active material is a material that intercalates or inserts an alkali metal ion. The electrochemically active material is a cathode active material. The cathode active material is lithium metal dioxide of formula (LiMO2), lithium metal phosphate of formula (LiMPO4), lithium metal tetra oxide of formula (LiM2O4), lithium metal silicide, metal sulfide (MS), or metal oxide (MO).M = V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Al and/or Si.The cathode active material is a lithium metal oxide or lithium mixed metal oxide comprising lithium cobalt(III) oxide, lithium-manganese dioxide, lithium nickel oxide, lithium nickel cobalt oxide of formula (LiNixCo1-xO2), lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide of formula (LiNixCoyMn(1 x-y)O2, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide of formula (LiNixCoyAl)(1-x-y)O2.x, y = greater than 0 to less than 1.The cathode active material is a lithium metal phosphate or lithium mixed metal phosphate comprising lithium iron phosphate, lithium manganese phosphate, lithium cobalt phosphate, lithium iron manganese phosphate of formula (LiFeMn1-xPO4) or lithium nickel manganese oxide of formula (LiNixMn1-xO4).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Method: The method further comprises: drying the electrochemically active material prior to exposing the electrochemically active material to the gaseous reactant; fabricating a stack or a jam roll containing the electrochemically active material prior to exposing the electrochemically active material to the gaseous reactant; and contacting the stack or jellyroll with electrolyte after exposing the electrochemically active material to the gaseous reactant. The step (a) comprises receiving a partially fabricated lithium battery containing the electrochemically active material. The gaseous reactant is provided in a carrier gas to affect the reactivity of the gaseous reactant with the electrochemically active material. The gaseous reactant reacts with water. Preferred Components: The gaseous reactant has a molecular weight of 300 g/mol or less.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The gaseous reactant is hydrides, oxides, sulfides, oxysulfides, fluorides, and oxyfluorides of carbon, sulfur, phosphorus or boron. The gaseous reactant is carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, boron trifluoride, carbon tetrafluoride, carbonyl fluoride, carbonyl sulfide, fluoroform, Forane (RTM: Refrigerant gas), methyl fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen trifluoride, phosphorus pentafluoride, perfluoropropane, sulfur dioxide, sulfur hexafluoride and/or sulfur tetrafluoride. The gaseous reactant comprises a mixture of two or more gaseous compounds comprising nitrogen, helium or argon. The anode active material is lithium titanium oxide, silicon or silicon alloy. EXAMPLE - Cathode coating was accomplished by mixing 92 wt.% lithium manganese oxide powder, 2 wt.% Super-P-Li-carbon (RTM: Conductive carbon black), 3 wt.% K-56 graphite, and 3 wt.% KF1300 (RTM: Polyvinylidene fluoride resin) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at 72% solid content. Thin film coatings were cast on both sides of 16 mu m aluminum foil at an area loading of 15 mg/cm2 foil surface area. The coating film was then compressed. An anode coating was made by mixing 80 wt.% Lithium titanium oxide powder, 5 wt % K56 graphite (RTM: High density graphite), 5 wt.% Super P-Li carbon (RTM: Conductive carbon black) and 10 wt.% KF W1300 (RTM: Polyvinylidene fluoride resin) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at 50% solid content. Thin film coatings were cast at area loading of 10 mg/cm2/side on both sides of 16 um aluminum foil. Electrodes were punched with clean foil. Electrodes were dried for 16 hours under vacuum oven at 120 degrees C. After drying, the vacuum oven was refilled with high purity carbon dioxide. After 1 hour, the oven was again exposed to vacuum, and refilled with carbon dioxide. The electrodes were cooled under carbon dioxide atmosphere. After assembling the electrodes into a lithium ion pouch cell with a 20 mu m polypropylene separator and the cells were sealed in a laminated aluminum foil pouch cell and dried under vacuum at 60 degrees C for 48 hours. After releasing the vacuum with carbon dioxide, the cells were filled with electrolyte (1M lithium hexafluorophosphate).