Positive electrode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries

A bimodal lithium transition metal oxide based powder mixture for a rechargeable battery, comprising:

• a first lithium transition metal oxide based powder, comprising particles of a material A having a layered crystal structure comprising the elements Li, a transition metal based composition M and oxygen, wherein the particles of material A have a general formula Li1+aCo1−mM′mO2, with −0.05≤a≤0.05 and 0≤m≤0.05, the material A having a D50≥20 μm, and wherein M′ is one or more metals of the group consisting of Al, Ca, Si, Ga, B, Ti, Mg, W, Zr, Cr and V, the first powder having a particle size distribution with a span <1.0;
• and
• a second lithium transition metal oxide based powder, comprising a material B having a monolithic morphology, said particles having a general formula Li1+bN′1-bO2, wherein -0.03≤b≤0.10, and N′=NixM″yCozEd, wherein 0.30≤x≤0.92, 0.05≤y≤0.40, 0.05≤z≤0.40 and 0≤d≤0.10, with M” being one or both of Mn or Al, and with E being a dopant different from M″, the first powder having an average particle size D50 between 10 and 40 μm, the second powder having an average particle size D50 between 2 and 4 μm;
• and
• wherein the weight ratio of the second powder in the bimodal mixture is between 15 and 60 wt %.