Surface modification of battery materials and method for making a battery

A method of chemically modifying a surface of an electrochemically active component of a lithium ion battery, the electrochemically active material being an anode active material and/or a cathode active material, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving the electrochemically active material for the lithium ion battery;
• (b) fabricating a stack or a jelly roll containing the electrochemically active material after electrode drying;
• and
• (c) exposing the electrochemically active material to a gaseous reactant that removes surface carbonates and/or deactivates surface hydroxyl groups on the surface of the electrochemically active material.

A method of chemically modifying a surface of an electrochemically active component of a lithium ion battery, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving the electrochemically active material for the lithium ion battery and fabricating a stack or a jelly roll containing the electrochemically active material;
• and
• (b) exposing the electrochemically active material, after fabricating the stack or the jelly roll, to a gaseous oxidizing agent under conditions that chemically modify soluble metal ions present on surfaces of the electrochemically active material that are accessible to the gaseous oxidizing agent;
• and
• (c) forming an insoluble metal salt of the metal ions on the surface of the electrochemically active material.

An electrochemical cell comprising:

• a jelly roll or a stack comprising an anode, a cathode, and a separator;
• wherein the jelly roll or the stack is exposed to a gaseous reactant that results in electrochemically active material surfaces to be free of hydroxyl groups;
• and
• an electrolyte in contact with the electrochemically active material surfaces.