The electrochemical performance of thermal-vapor-decomposition carbon-coated natural graphite was studied in both propylene carbonate (PC)-based electrolytes and ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolytes. In the cyclic votammograms of carbon-coated natural graphite, the hump in the range of 1.3-0.7 V versus Li+/Li can be observed when the potential was swept at higher scan rates. This hump was investigated with reference of carbon black. The effect of electrode-fabrication pressure on the electrochemical performance of carbon-coated in the PC-based electrolyte has also been studied. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.