Patent ID: 8101300

Claim:
A cathode active material comprising a lithium-containing composite oxide powder represented by the formula Li p N x M y O z F a wherein N is Co, M is zirconium and optionally at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, alkaline earth metal elements and transition metal elements other than cobalt, 0.9≦p≦1.1, 0.965≦x≦1.00, 0≦y≦0.035, 1.9≦z≦2.1, x+y=1 and 0≦a≦0.02, and an atomic ratio of zirconium/cobalt in a surface layer within 5 nm of the surface is from 1.0 to 4.0, and wherein the cathode active material is for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery.