The stability of inactive components in LIB (lithium ion batteries) electrodes upon exposure to high potentials can affect cell performance. A series of Li/ inactive component cells with aluminum, conductive carbon, and graphite as the inactive component were prepared and stored at high potential for one week. Electrochemical measurements and ex-situ surface analysis, including TEM (transmission electron microscopy), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), were conducted to investigate the stability of inactive components in the presence of LiPF6 in 3:7 ethylene carbonate (EC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) electrolyte at different potentials. The results show that all components are stable upon storage at 4.3 V. Storage at 4.6 or 4.9 V results in no aluminum corrosion, but limited decomposition on conductive carbon and greater decomposition on graphite. Storage at 5.3 V results in significant electrolyte oxidation to generate poly(ethylene carbonate) on the surface of all inactive electrodes and aluminum corrosion. (C) 2014 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.