NEGATIVE ELECTRODE MATERIAL FOR LITHIUM SECONDARY BATTERY, ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND LITHIUM SECONDARY BATTERY

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a negative electrode material having a discharge capacity of the highest level of flake graphite such as natural graphite or the discharge capacity equivalent to the theoretical capacity depending on graphite structure, and solving such a problem of the flake graphite that irreversible capacity caused by side reaction in the initial stage of charge is large and discharge capacity in use under high charge/discharge current is low, and to provide the manufacturing method of the negative electrode material, and industrially provide a lithium secondary battery using the negative electrode material. SOLUTION: A carbon material is obtained by heat treating a kneaded material of graphite prepared by treating carbon deposited in a cooling process of molten state metal and carbon and having a carbon content of 90 mass percent or more and a carbonaceous binder, and this carbon material having a specified range of average particle size and a specified range of tap densities is manufactured as the negative electrode material for the lithium secondary battery, and the lithium secondary battery is manufactured by using this carbon material as the negative electrode active material.