Rechargeable electrochemical cell of lithium ion or lithium alloy-type possessing metal oxide modified cathode structure with high first charge capacity

A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a positive electrode, the positive electrode structure comprising:

• (a) one or more materials selected from the group consisting of LiMn2O4, LiCoO2, LINiO2, LiNixCo1−xO2 where 0<x<1;
• and
• (b) monoclinic LiMnO2;
• the materials of (a) being present in the electrode structure in a total amount corresponding to 20-98% by weight of complete electrode structure;
• and
• the monoclinic LiMnO2 of(b) being present in the electrode structure in an amount corresponding to 1-79% by weight of the complete electrode structure, with the proviso that the monoclinic LiMnO2 in the positive electrode structure has a higher first charge specific capacity than any material of (a) in the positive electrode structure.

A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a positive electrode, the positive electrode structure comprising:

• (a) one or more materials selected from the group consisting of LiMn2O4, LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiNixCo1−xO2 where 0<x<1;
• and
• (b) orthorhombic LiMnO2;
• the materials of (a) being present in the electrode structure in a total amount corresponding to 20-98% by weight of the complete electrode structure;
• and
• the orthorhombic LiMnO2 of (b) being present in the electrode structure in an amount corresponding to 1-79% by weight of the complete electrode structure, with the proviso that the orthorhombic LiMnO2 in the positive electrode structure has a higher first charge specific capacity than any material of (a) in the positive electrode structure.

A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a positive electrode, the positive electrode structure comprising:

• (a) one or more materials selected from the group consisting of LiMn2O4, LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiNixCo1−xO2 where 0<x<1;
• and
• (b) α-NaFeO2;
• the materials of (a) being present in the electrode structure in a total amount corresponding to 20-98% by weight of the complete electrode structure;
• and
• the α-NaFeO2 of (b) being present in the electrode structure in an amount corresponding to 1-79% by weight of the complete electrode structure, with the proviso that the amount of active sodium originally present in the positive electrode is lower than the amount of lithium originally present in the electrolyte phase, and with the further proviso that the α-NaFeO2 has a higher first charge specific capacity than any material of (a) in the positive electrode structure.

A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a positive electrode, the positive electrode structure comprising:

• (a) one or more materials selected from the group consisting of LiMn2O4, LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiNixCo1−xO2 where 0<x<1;
• and
• (b) one or more materials selected from the group consisting of lithium/sodium compounds of the formula LixNayM(II)O1−1/2(x+y), where x≧0, y≧0 and x+y≦2, and where M(II) is a transition metal in oxidation state +2, selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni and Fe;
• the materials of (a) being present in the electrode structure in a total amount corresponding to 20-98% by weight of the complete electrode structure;
• and
• the lithium/sodium compounds of the formula LixNayM(II)O1+1/2(x+y), where x≧0, y≧0 and x+y≦2, and where M(II) is a transition metal in oxidation state +2, selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni and Fe of (b) being present in the electrode structure in a total amount corresponding to 1-79% by weight of the complete electrode structure, with the proviso that the amount of active sodium originally present in the positive electrode is lower than the amount of lithium originally present in the electrolyte phase and with the further proviso that any material of (b) in the positive electrode structure has a higher first charge specific capacity than any material of (a) in the positive electrode structure.