TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The cathode comprises a lithium metal oxide. The anode comprises a carbon material or a lithium metal. The anode is a natural graphite or a hard carbon anode.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The alkali metal salt is a lithium salt. The alkali metal salt comprises lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium perchlorate, lithium bis(oxalato)borate, lithium bromide, lithium thiocyanate, lithium aluminate, lithium sulfate, lithium iodide, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, lithium fluoroborate oxalato (Li(BF2(C2O4))), lithium tetrafluorooxalatophosphate (Li(PF4(C2O4))), lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonimide), lithium tris(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)methide, lithium bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonyl)imide, lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, lithium tetrafluoroaluminate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide lithium tetraphenyl borate, lithium methylsulfonate, and/or lithium salt of formula (Li2B12X12-nHn), (Li2B10X10-n1Hn1), (Li2Sx2), (Li2Sex2), ((LiSx2R)y) or ((LiSex2R)y).X = halo;n = 0-12;n1 = 0-10;x2 = 1-20;y = 1-3; andR = H, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, ether, F, CF3, COCF3, SO2CF3 or SO2F.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The electrolyte further comprises a compound comprising 3a,6a-dihydrofuro(3,4-c)furan-1,3,4,6-tetrone, 3a,6a-dihydrofuro(3,4-d)(1,3)dioxole-2,4,6-trione, 3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydroisobenzofuran-1,3-dione, 6,6a-dihydro-3aH-cyclopenta(c)furan-1,3-dione, 4,5,6,6a-tetrahydro-3aH-cyclopenta(c)furan-1,3-dione, 5,6-dimethyl-3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydroisobenzofuran-1,3-dione, 3-oxabicyclo(3.2.0)heptane-2,4-dione, 3-oxabicyclo(3.2.0)hept-6-ene-2,4-dione or 3-oxabicyclo(3.1.0)hexane-2,4-dione. Preferred Components: The organophosphorus compound is present in the electrolyte at 0.0005-50 wt %. The polar aprotic solvent is ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, methyl acetate, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, methyl propyl carbonate, ethyl propyl carbonate, dipropyl carbonate, bis(trifluoroethyl)carbonate, bis(pentafluoropropyl)carbonate, trifluoroethyl methyl carbonate, pentafluoroethyl methyl carbonate, heptafluoropropyl methyl carbonate, perfluorobutyl methyl carbonate, trifluoroethyl ethyl carbonate, pentafluoroethyl ethyl carbonate, heptafluoropropyl ethyl carbonate, perfluorobutyl ethyl carbonate, fluorinated oligomers, dimethoxyethane, triglyme, dimethylvinylene carbonate, tetraethylene glycol, dimethyl ether, polyethylene glycols, sulfones, or gamma-butyrolactone. (IA) is 2-methoxy-(1,3,2)dioxaphospholane 2-oxide, 2-vinyloxy-(1,3,2)dioxaphospholane 2-oxide, acetic acid 2-oxo-(1,3,2)dioxaphospholan-2-yl ester or 4-(2-oxo-(1,3,2)dioxaphospholan-2-yloxymethyl)-(1,3)dioxolan-2-one. (IB) is dimethoxyphosphoryl acetate, dimethyl (2-oxo-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl phosphate, 3-(dimethyl(trimethylsilyloxy)silyl)propyl dimethyl phosphate or dimethyl vinyl phosphate. (IC) is tris(2-furyl)phosphane, tris(2-pyridyl)phosphane, tris(2-thienyl)phosphane or tris(1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phosphane. Preferred Definitions:    R1-R6 = methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, 2-propenyl, 3-butenyl, 2-propynyl or 3-butynyl.    EXAMPLE - Tri(2-furyl)phosphine was added to an electrolyte of 1.2 M lithium hexafluorophosphate in a mixture of ethylene carbonate and ethyl methyl carbonate (3:7 wt.%).