A high specific capacity carbon anode for lithium-ion polymer batteries was developed using a mixture of a spherical mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB), vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF), and a lithium conducting binder of polyethylene oxide (PEO) with Li(CF3SO2)(2)N (LiTESI). The reversible specific capacity of the anode was dependent on the thickness of the electrode and the molecular weight (M-w) of PEO in the composite electrode. The specific capacity of a 30 mu m thick carbon anode with PEO at M-w = 6 x 10(5) was 310 mA h g(-1), which was decreased to 260 mA h g(-1) for a 60 mu m thick electrode. A reversible specific capacity of 320 mA h g(-1), was observed for the lithium-ion conducting binder of PEO18LiTFSI with a high Mw of 5 x 10(6) and an electrode thickness of 60 mu m. The specific capacity is comparable to that for a carbon anode for lithium-ion batteries using a liquid electrolyte. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.