There is significant interest in the development of higher energy lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and aerospace applications. One method of improving the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is to increase the operating voltage of the cells by increasing the working potentials of positive electrode employing, for example, lithium nickel manganese spinel ͓LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ͑LNMS͔͒ as the active material.1 However, cycling of lithium-ion cells to high voltages ͓ϳ5.0 V vs lithium reference electrode ͑LRE͔͒ proceeds with relatively low ͑99% and less͒ coulombic efficiency.2 Among the primary contributors to the poor cycling efficiency are the electrochemical oxidation reactions of the electrolytes at the high positive potentials of the positive electrode. 4,6 The surface-modified cathodes have superior cyclability compared to the uncoated cathode, suggesting that the coatings form a stable passivation layer or a solid electrolyte interface ͑SEI͒ on the cathode. An alternative approach using sacrificial electrolyte additives for in situ formation of a cathode SEI has also been reported to improve cycling to 4.9 V vs LRE. 7 There have been several investigations of the structure of cathode surface films formed under standard cycling ͑Ͻ4.5 V vs LRE͒ and aging conditions. 8-10 However, there have not been any detailed investigations of the cathode surface film structure as a function of electrode potential, especially at high voltage ͑Ͼ4.5 V vs LRE͒. Problems associated with reactions of the electrolyte on the surface of high voltage cathode materials have been reported to limit the application of these interesting materials.2,4 We present here an investigation of the voltagedependent electrochemical reactions in 1 M LiPF 6 in ethylene carbonate ͑EC͒/diethyl carbonate ͑DEC͒/dimethyl carbonate ͑DMC͒ ͑1/ 1/1 vol͒ on an LNMS-based electrode and the characterization of the surface species by XPS and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance ͑FTIR-ATR͒. Our results suggest that poly͑ethylenecarbonate͒ ͑PEC͒ derived from the oxidative polymerization of EC is the primary component of the cathode SEI upon high voltage cycling.
ExperimentalCoin-type cells with mixed metal oxide-based positive and lithium-metal negative electrodes and filled with 1 M solution of LiPF 6 in EC/DMC/DEC ͑1/1/1 vol͒ were used in the experiments. Two tests were undertaken. In the first one, a lithium-free material, nickel manganese mixed oxide ͑Ni 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 3 ͒, as the positive electrode mimicking the LNMS material was employed in two-electrode half-cells. The binder in the first set was based on poly͑vinylidene flouride͒ ͑PVDF, Kureha 1910͒. In the second experiment, the cathode was based on an LMNS adhered by a fluorine-free binder, ethylene propylene diene monomer ͑EPDM, Vistalon 2504͒ rubber, dissolved in toluene. Both experiments used two-electrode half-cells with aluminum current collectors. The electrodes contained 81% of active material and increased fraction ͑8%͒ of ...