Binder selection in lithium-ion batteries is one of major determinants to improving lithium storage properties. In this paper, the impact of calcining active material (alpha-Fe2O3) on binder selection was investigated. It was found that, before calcination, the highest capacity retention was gained by using Xanthan Gum (XG) binder among carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and XG binders, whereas the electrode with PVDF binder showed the best electrochemical performance after calcination. The possible mechanism of calcination on binders' interaction with the active material was outlined and validated by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Our findings would shed new light on the conventional binder selection in optimizing the electrochemical performances of electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. (C) 2013 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.