Lithium ion battery for automotive application

1. A rechargeable lithium ion battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte, the positive electrode comprising a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder with particles comprising a core and a surface layer, the core having a layered crystal structure comprising the elements Li, M and oxygen, wherein M has the formula M=(Ni z (Ni 1/2 Mn 1/2 ) y Co x ) 1-k A k , with 0.13≤x≤0.30, 0.20≤z<0.55, x+y+z=1 and 0<k≤0.1, wherein A is at least one dopant and comprises Al, wherein the Al content in the core is 0.3-3 mole %, and wherein the surface layer is delimited by an outer and an inner interface, the inner interface being in contact with the core, and wherein the surface layer has an Al content that increases from the Al content of the core at the inner interface to at least 4 mole % at the outer interface, the Al content being determined by XPS, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder having a molar ratio 0.95≤Li:M≤1.10, wherein the surface layer comprises a mixture of elements of the core Li, M and O and alumina, and wherein the electrolyte comprises the additive lithium difluorophosphate.

2. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer of the lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder particles further comprises LiF.

3. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 2 , wherein the core of the lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder particles has a F content of less than 0.05 mole %, and wherein the surface layer has an Al content that increases from the Al content of the core at the inner interface to at least 10 mole % at the outer interface, and a F content that increases from less than 0.05 mole % at the inner interface to at least 3 mole % at the outer interface, the Al and F contents being determined by XPS.

4. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer further comprises either one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of CaO, TiO 2 , MgO, WO 3 , ZrO 2 , Cr 2 O 3 and V 2 O 5 .

5. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , wherein for the lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder A=Al, k=0.005-0.013, x=0.20±0.02, y=0.40±0.05, z=0.40±0.05 and 1≤Li:M≤1.10.

6. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises between 0.5 and 2 wt % of lithium difluorophosphate.

7. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 6 , wherein the electrolyte further comprises up to 2 wt % of vinyl ethylene carbonate.

8. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 6 , wherein the electrolyte further comprises up to 2 wt % of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of lithium bis(oxalate)borate, vinylene carbonate and 1,3-propene sultone.

9. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a solvent comprising either one or more of EC, DEC or EMC.

10. The rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , the battery operating after charging to a final voltage >4.2V.

11. A method for preparing the rechargeable lithium ion battery of claim 1 , comprising:

incorporating a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder in a positive electrode, the powder comprising particles comprising a core and a surface layer, the core having a layered crystal structure comprising the elements Li, M and oxygen, wherein M has the formula M=(N z (Ni 1/2 Mn 1/2 ) y Co x ) 1-k A k , with 0.13≤x≤0.30, 0.20≤z<0.55, x+y+z=1 and 0<k≤0.1, wherein A is at least one dopant and comprises Al, the surface layer comprises a mixture of elements of the core Li, M and O, and the lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based powder having a molar ratio 0.95≤Li:M≤1.10,

providing a negative electrode,

providing an electrolyte comprising the additive lithium difluorophosphate, and

assembling the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the electrolyte in the battery.