Nanoscale coating of LiMO2 (M = Ni, Co, Mn) nanobelts with Li+-conductive Li2TiO3: toward better rate capabilities for Li-ion batteries.

By using a novel coating approach based on the reaction between MC(2)O(4)·xH(2)O and Ti(OC(4)H(9))(4), a series of nanoscale Li(2)TiO(3)-coated LiMO(2) nanobelts with varied Ni, Co, and Mn contents was prepared for the first time. The complete, thin Li(2)TiO(3) coating layer strongly adheres to the host material and has a 3D diffusion path for Li(+) ions. It is doped with Ni(2+) and Co(3+) ions in addition to Ti(4+) in LiMO(2), both of which were found to favor Li(+)-ion transfer at the interface. As a result, the coated nanobelts show improved rate, cycling, and thermal capabilities when used as the cathode for Li-ion battery.