Positive electrode active material and lithium secondary battery comprising the same

1. A positive electrode active material, comprising:

primary particles enabling lithium intercalation and deintercalation;

a secondary particle formed by aggregating the primary particles; and

a coating layer,

wherein the coating layer covers at least a part of an interface between the primary particles, or at least a part of the surface of the secondary particle, or both at least the part of the interface between the primary particles and at least the part of the surface of the secondary particle,

wherein the secondary particle has a first concentration gradient section in which the concentration of at least one selected from nickel, cobalt and manganese in the secondary particle increases, and a second concentration gradient section in which the concentration of at least one selected from nickel, cobalt and manganese in the secondary particle decreases,

wherein the first concentration gradient section and the second concentration gradient section are laterally arranged along the circumferential surface of the secondary particle, and

wherein the concentration of the first concentration gradient section and the concentration of the second concentration gradient section are not due to the coating layer.

2. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein the first concentration gradient section and the second concentration gradient section are present in a surface region of the secondary particle.

3. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein the first concentration gradient section and the second concentration gradient section are repeatedly present along the circumferential surface of the secondary particle.

4. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein the first concentration gradient section is disposed adjacent to the second concentration gradient section in a direction (transverse direction) perpendicular to a direction (longitudinal direction) toward a surface region of the secondary particle from a core region of the secondary particle.

5. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein cobalt in the first concentration gradient section increases to a higher concentration than an average content of cobalt in the secondary particle.

6. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein an amount of the cobalt in the second concentration gradient section decreases to be close to an average amount of the cobalt in the secondary particle.

7. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein along the circumferential surface of the secondary particle, a concentration increase/decrease part having the first concentration gradient section and the second concentration gradient section and a concentration maintenance part in which the concentration of at least one selected from nickel, cobalt and manganese in the secondary particle is maintained are present.

8. The positive electrode active material of claim 7 , wherein a change rate in concentration of at least one selected from nickel, cobalt and manganese in the concentration maintenance part is 5 wt % or less per 0.1 μm.

9. The positive electrode active material of claim 1 ,

wherein the coating layer contains at least one oxide represented by the following formula:

Li a A b O c   [Formula]

(where A is at least one selected from Ni, Mn, Co, Fe, Cu, Nb, Mo, Ti, Al, Cr, Zr, Zn, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Pt, Au, B, P, Eu, Sm, W, Ce, V, Ba, Ta, Sn, Hf, Ce, Gd and Nd, 0≤a≤6, 0≤b≤4, and 2≤c≤8).

10. A positive electrode slurry composition, comprising:

the positive electrode active material of claim 1 , a conductive material and a binder.

11. A lithium secondary battery, comprising:

a positive electrode formed by coating a current collector with the positive electrode slurry composition of claim 10 .