ZrO2- and Li2ZrO3-stabilized spinel and layered electrodes for lithium batteries

Strategies for countering the solubility of LiMn2O4 (spinel) electrodes at 50 °C and for suppressing the reactivity of layered LiMO2 (M=Co, Ni, Mn, Li) electrodes at high potentials are discussed. Surface treatment of LiMn2O4 with colloidal zirconia (ZrO2) dramatically improves the cycling stability of the spinel electrode at 50 °C in Li/LiMn2O4 cells. ZrO2-coated LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2 electrodes provide a superior capacity and cycling stability to uncoated electrodes when charged to a high potential (4.6 V vs Li0). The use of Li2ZrO3, which is structurally more compatible with spinel and layered electrodes than ZrO2 and which can act as a Li+-ion conductor, has been evaluated in composite 0.03Li2ZrO3·0.97LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2 electrodes; glassy LixZrO2+x/2 (0<x⩽2) products can be produced from colloidal ZrO2 for surface coatings. Keywords: Lithium batteries, Stabilized electrode, Spinel, Layered, Zirconia, Coatin