Abstract Title   Improved Cathode Material Safety via a Metal Phosphate Coating Abstract Author(s)   C. M. Lang K. Constantine A. Newman (Physical Sciences Inc.) Abstract Presenter   C. M. Lang Abstract   Physical Sciences Inc. has demonstrated a procedure for forming lithium metal phosphate layers in-situ on cathode materials. The metal phosphate layer remains reduced during normal cycling of the cell, thereby limiting reactions with the electrolyte. Further, the metal phosphate layer offers greater thermal stability than metal oxide materials and may be applied through common processing steps that can be scaled to coat materials on a production scale. Upon coating LiCoO2 the exothermic peak corresponding to oxygen release from the delithiated cathode was completely suppressed. Coating of a layered metal oxide cathode resulted in improved discharge performance as well as a shift in the onset of the exotherm measured upon heating delithiated cathode material. The shift and depression in the exotherms indicates a likelihood for minimizing thermal runaway in cells.