Metal halide coatings on lithium ion battery positive electrode materials and corresponding batteries

A lithium ion battery comprising

• a positive electrode,
• a negative electrode comprising a lithium incorporation composition,
• a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and
• an electrolyte comprising lithium ions,
• wherein the positive electrode comprises an active material, distinct electrically conductive powders, and a polymer binder,
• wherein the positive electrode active material comprises an active composition comprising lithium metal oxide coated with a coating composition comprising a metal chloride, metal bromide, metal iodide, or combinations thereof, the lithium metal oxide is a layered-layered crystalline composition represented by a formula Li1+bNiαMnβCoγAδO2, where b ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.3, α ranges from 0 to about 0.4, β range from about 0.2 to about 0.65, γ ranges from 0 to about 0.46, and δ ranges from about 0 to about 0.15, and where A is Mg, Sr, Ba, Cd, Zn, Al, Ga, B, Zr, Ti, Ca, Ce, Y, Nb, Cr, Fe, V, Li, or combinations thereof, and the positive electrode active material having an average voltage of at least about 3.5 volts over a discharge from 4.5 to 2 volts at a rate of C/10 and a specific discharge specific capacity of at least about 160 mAh/g at cycle 500 at room temperature at a discharge rate of C/3 from 4.5 volts to 2 volts.