Cobalt-stabilized lithium metal oxide electrodes for lithium batteries

An electrode material comprising a three-component, layered-layered-spinel composite lithium metal oxide, which in an initial state has the formula:

• y[xLi2MO3.(1−x)LiM′O2].(1−y)Li1+dMn2-z-dM″zO4;
• wherein:
• 0≦x≦1;
• 0.75≦y<1;
• 0<z≦2;
• 0≦d≦0.2;
• z−d≦2;
• M comprises one or more metal ions that together have a combined average oxidation state of +4;
• M′ comprises one or more metal ions that together have a combined average oxidation state of +3;
• and
• M″ comprises one or more metal ions that together with the Mn and excess proportion, d, of lithium, have a combined average oxidation state of +3.5;
• and
• wherein the LiM″O4 component comprises a spinel crystal lattice structure, each of the Li2MO3 and the LiM′O2 components thereof comprise layered crystal lattice structures;
• and at least one of M, M′, and M″ comprises Co;
• and wherein the Co content of the three-component layered-layered-spinel composite comprises more than 50% of the combined M, M′, and M″ content thereof, or the Ni content of the three-component layered-layered-spinel composite comprises more than 50% of the combined M, M′, and M″ content thereof.