Cathode active material comprising lithium manganese oxide capable of providing excellent charge-discharge characteristics at 3V region as well as 4V region

1. A cathode active material comprising:

cathode active material particles consisting of at least one lithium manganese oxide, in which the lithium manganese oxide has a spinel structure with specific constitutional composition represented by Formula 1, and a coating layer consisting of a conductive carbon-based material present on a whole external surface of the cathode active material particles, so as to exhibit charge-discharge properties in the range of 2.5 to 3.5V as well as 4V region:

Li 1+y M z Mn 2−y−z O 4−x−a Q x R a   (1)

wherein 0≦x≦1; 0≦y≦0.3; 0<z≦1; M is at least one or more element selected from a group consisting of Al, Mg, Ni, Co, Fe, Cr, V, Ti, Cu, B, Ca, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Sr, Sb, W, Ti and Bi; Q is at least one or more element selected from a group consisting of N, F, S and Cl; R denotes a vacancy formed due to oxygen escaping from a crystal lattice; and 0<a≦2,

wherein the 4V region is in the range of 3.7 to 4.3V, and

wherein the content of the conductive material ranges from 30 to 40 wt. %, relative to a total weight of the conductive material and the lithium manganese oxide.

2. The cathode active material according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium manganese oxide has at least one selected from a cubic phase and a tetragonal phase.

3. The cathode active material according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive material is applied to the whole external surface of the lithium manganese oxide particles in a cubic phase.

4. The cathode active material according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive material is applied to the whole external surface of the lithium manganese oxide particles in a tetragonal phase.

5. The cathode active material according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon based material has a graphene or graphite crystal structure.

6. The cathode active material according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is applied to the whole external surface of lithium manganese oxide particles by a dry process comprising high energy milling or mixing of the conductive material and the lithium manganese oxide.

7. The cathode active material according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is applied to the whole external surface of lithium manganese oxide particles by a wet process comprising dispersing the lithium manganese oxide in a solvent, surface coating the dispersion with a precursor of the conductive material, drying and recovering the solvent.

8. A nano-scale lithium manganese oxide particle comprising:

a cathode active material particle consisting of at least one lithium manganese oxide with specific constitutional composition represented by Formula 1, said lithium manganese oxide having a spinel structure without nanograins in particles of the lithium manganese oxide, and a coating layer consisting of a conductive carbon-based material present on a whole external surface of the nano-scale lithium oxide particle, which exhibits charge-discharge properties in the range of 2.5 to 3.5V as well as 4V region:

Li 1+y M z Mn 2−y−z O 4−x−a Q x R a   (1)

wherein 0≦x≦1; 0≦y≦0.3; 0<z≦1; M is at least one or more element selected from a group consisting of Al, Mg, Ni, Co, Fe, Cr, V, Ti, Cu, B, Ca, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Sr, Sb, W, Ti and Bi; Q is at least one or more element selected from a group consisting of N, F, S and Cl; R denotes a vacancy formed due to oxygen escaping from a crystal lattice; and 0<a≦2,

wherein the 4V region is in the range of 3.7 to 4.3 V, and

wherein the content of the conductive material ranges from 30 to 40 wt. %, relative to a total weight of the conductive material and the lithium manganese oxide.

9. A cathode mix comprising:

the cathode active material as set forth in claim 1 ;

a conductive agent; and

a binder.

10. A cathode for a secondary battery formed by applying the cathode mix according to claim 9 to a current collector.

11. A lithium secondary battery comprising:

the cathode for a secondary battery according to claim 10 .

12. The lithium secondary battery according to claim 11 , wherein the battery is suitable for use as a unit cell for a battery module which is a power source for a medium or large-scale device.

13. The lithium secondary battery according to claim 12 wherein the medium or large-scale device is an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or a power storage system.

14. A cathode mix comprising:

the cathode active material as set forth in claim 8 ;

a conductive agent; and

a binder.

15. A cathode for a secondary battery formed by applying the cathode mix according to claim 14 to a current collector.

16. A lithium secondary battery comprising:

the cathode for a secondary battery according to claim 15 .