Enhanced High-Rate Cycling Stability of LiMn[sub 2]O[sub 4] Cathode by ZrO[sub 2] Coating for Li-Ion Battery

The effect of a sol-gel derived amorphous zirconium oxide surface coating on the high charge-discharge (CD) rate performance of was studied. When cycled between 4.5 and (vs. ) at room temperature, the coated spinel electrode, containing , shows tremendous enhancement in cycling stability at CD rates up to . Concurrently, the coated spinel electrode exhibits a lower cubic-tetragonal transition potential, a smaller charge-transfer impedance by 4-5-fold, and it profoundly reduces, by 66%, lattice contraction upon charge (delithiation). The enhancement in the high-rate cycling stability has been attributed to the combination of these favorable effects.