Abstract: High voltage lithium batteries can be made using lithium transition metal oxides having an inverse spinel structure as a cathode material wherein lithium atoms occupy up to half of the 16d sites, oxygen atoms occupy the 32e sites, and transition metal atoms occupy the 8a sites and about half of the 16d sites in said inverse spinel structure. In particular, these inverse spinel compounds can be suitable for use in lithium ion batteries. Along with high operating voltage, such batteries can exhibit reasonable capacity, great capability and reversibility.

Abstract: A method for preparing cathode material for use in lithium secondary batteries comprising the steps of: (a) mixing first and second reactants in a appropriate stoichiometric ratio to form a reaction mixture, wherein the first reactant is represented by Li.sub.x MO.sub.2, M is either Ni or Co, and x is a variable from 0.25 to 1.1, and the second reactant is V.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; V.sub.2 O.sub.5, or NH.sub.4 VO.sub.3, and (b) sintering the mixture in air at temperatures between 650.degree. C..about.700.degree. C. for 1.about.2 hours to obtain a cathode material represented by LiMVO.sub.4. The first reactant can be obtained by an aqueous-phase reaction by mixing a first aqueous solution, which contains M(NO.sub.3).sub.2.6H.sub.2 O, and a second aqueous, which contains LiOH.H.sub.2 O, Li.sub.2 O, Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3, or Li(CH.sub.3 COO), to form a precursory aqueous solution, and drying the precursory aqueous solution.