Stabilized spinel battery cathode material and methods

• Main Authors: Howard, Jr., Wilmont F, Sheargold, Stephen W, Story, Phillip M, Peterson, Robert L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.05.2003

1. Field of the Invention Improved stabilized spinel battery cathode material and methods of treating particles of spinel battery cathode material to produce a protective coating of battery-inactive lithium metal oxide on the particles are provided. The methods basically comprise mixing the spinel particles with a particulate reactant selected from a lithium salt, a lithium metal oxide or a mixture of a lithium salt and a metal oxide and then heating the resultant particulate mixture for a time and temperature to react the particulate reactant with the spinel particles whereby a protective coating of lithium metal oxide is formed on the spinel particles and the lithium content of the spinel adjacent to the coating is increased a limited amount.