Cathode materials, batteries, and methods of forming one or more electrodes for batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a coated lithium battery cathode material includes coated single crystalline primary particles, the coated single crystalline primary particles including single crystalline primary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide, a first sub-nanoscale lithium metal oxide coating on the single crystalline primary particles wherein the first sub-nanoscale lithium metal oxide is less than 1 nm thick, and a carbon coating disposed on the first sub-nanoscale lithium metal oxide coating to form coated single crystalline primary particles.

Cathode materials, batteries, and methods of forming one or more electrodes for batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a coated lithium battery cathode material includes coated single crystalline primary particles, the coated single crystalline primary particles including single crystalline primary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide, a first sub-nanoscale lithium metal oxide coating on the single crystalline primary particles wherein the first sub-nanoscale lithium metal oxide is less than 1 nm thick, and a carbon coating disposed on the first sub-nanoscale lithium metal oxide coating to form coated single crystalline primary particles.

A method of modifying a battery cathode material includes the steps of heating the battery cathode material to a temperature of about 250 C. to about 350 C.; while heating, exposing the battery cathode material to an organometallic gas; and purging the organometallic gas from the battery cathode material, wherein the method removes lithium carbonate from the cathode material surface.

A method of modifying a battery cathode material includes the steps of heating the battery cathode material to a temperature of about 250 C. to about 350 C.; while heating, exposing the battery cathode material to an organometallic gas; and purging the organometallic gas from the battery cathode material, wherein the method removes lithium carbonate from the cathode material surface.

The present disclosure relates to a ternary positive electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, having a coated type structure. The core of the coated type structure includes a lithium composite metal oxide, and the outer coating in a form of wrinkles. The wrinkled outer coating is coated on a surface of the lithium composite metal oxide, and mainly is a cobalt-containing lithium metal oxide. The positive electrode material is prepared by: mixing a lithium source and a ternary precursor material at a molar ratio, subjecting the resulting mixture to multi-stage high-temperature sintering in an oxygen atmosphere, and cooling the resulting sinter to room temperature; and mixing the resulting lithium composite metal oxide with a cobalt source, or with the cobalt source and an M-containing compound, and then sintering the resulting mixture in an oxygen atmosphere to obtain the ternary positive electrode material.

The present disclosure relates to a ternary positive electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, having a coated type structure. The core of the coated type structure includes a lithium composite metal oxide, and the outer coating in a form of wrinkles. The wrinkled outer coating is coated on a surface of the lithium composite metal oxide, and mainly is a cobalt-containing lithium metal oxide. The positive electrode material is prepared by: mixing a lithium source and a ternary precursor material at a molar ratio, subjecting the resulting mixture to multi-stage high-temperature sintering in an oxygen atmosphere, and cooling the resulting sinter to room temperature; and mixing the resulting lithium composite metal oxide with a cobalt source, or with the cobalt source and an M-containing compound, and then sintering the resulting mixture in an oxygen atmosphere to obtain the ternary positive electrode material.

The present disclosure relates to the synthesis of a cathode active material including a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, wherein the cathode active material has lithium-concentration gradient particles according to the control of the flow rate of air gas instead of high-concentration oxygen gas, the synthesis temperature and the control of lithium content. By using an excess amount of lithium and a low oxygen partial pressure at a low synthesis temperature, secondary particles having a lithium concentration gradient form, in which the overall structure is stoichiometric but Li is gradually contained in excess from the core to the surface are formed, thereby exhibiting a high capacity while suppressing deterioration due to the lithium-excess Ni-rich layered cathode active material in the shell part to show stable electrochemical performance.

The present disclosure relates to the synthesis of a cathode active material including a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, wherein the cathode active material has lithium-concentration gradient particles according to the control of the flow rate of air gas instead of high-concentration oxygen gas, the synthesis temperature and the control of lithium content. By using an excess amount of lithium and a low oxygen partial pressure at a low synthesis temperature, secondary particles having a lithium concentration gradient form, in which the overall structure is stoichiometric but Li is gradually contained in excess from the core to the surface are formed, thereby exhibiting a high capacity while suppressing deterioration due to the lithium-excess Ni-rich layered cathode active material in the shell part to show stable electrochemical performance.

Disclosed herein a process for preparing a cathode active material of Formula (I) LiNi.sub.xCo.sub.yMn.sub.zO.sub.2, including steps of: i) preparing a precursor of hydroxides or carbonates of Ni, Co and Mn; ii) mixing the precursor obtained from step i) with a source of Li; and iii) calcining the mixture obtained from step ii), where step iii) includes multi-step calcination, where x is in a range of from 0.80 to 0.95 and preferably from 0.80 to 0.92, y is in a range of from 0.01 to 0.15 and preferably from 0.01 to 0.12, and z is in a range of from 0.01 to 0.15 and preferably from 0.01 to 0.12, and the sum of x, y and z is 1.

Disclosed herein a process for preparing a cathode active material of Formula (I) LiNi.sub.xCo.sub.yMn.sub.zO.sub.2, including steps of: i) preparing a precursor of hydroxides or carbonates of Ni, Co and Mn; ii) mixing the precursor obtained from step i) with a source of Li; and iii) calcining the mixture obtained from step ii), where step iii) includes multi-step calcination, where x is in a range of from 0.80 to 0.95 and preferably from 0.80 to 0.92, y is in a range of from 0.01 to 0.15 and preferably from 0.01 to 0.12, and z is in a range of from 0.01 to 0.15 and preferably from 0.01 to 0.12, and the sum of x, y and z is 1.