TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The aluminum zinc oxide is of formula (AlxZn1-3x/2O). The material comprises 0.25-10, preferably 0.5-7 mole% of coating composition. The lithium metal oxide active composition comprises a lithium metal oxide of formula (Li1+b1M1-b1O2-zFz). The lithium metal oxide active composition comprises metal complexes of formulae (x1Li2M1O3.(1-x1)LiM2O2) and (Li1+b2Ni( alpha )Mn( beta )Co( gamma )A( delta )O2). The positive electrode active material has a specific capacity of at least 175 mAh/g and an average voltage of at least 3.55 V discharged at a rate of C/3 from 4.6-2V against lithium. The positive electrode active material has a specific capacity of at least 89% at 80th cycle, average voltage specific capacity at 11 cycle and at least 94% at the 80th cycle. The average voltage at 11 cycles is reduced at a discharge rate of C/3 at 2-4.6 V against lithium from the 11th cycle to the 80th cycle when cycled. The positive electrode active material has capacity of at least 94% or 95% at the 60th cycle and average voltage capacity at 11th cycle discharged at a rate of C/3 from 4.6-2V against lithium from the 11th cycle to the 60th cycle. The positive electrode active material further comprises metal halide overcoat i.e. 0.5-3 mole% of aluminum halide overcoat on 1-15 mole % of aluminum zinc oxide coating. The lithium metal oxide active composition is coated with sequential layers of 0.5-10 mole% of inert metal oxide coating and 0.5-3 mole% of metal halide overcoat. The metal oxide coating comprises aluminum oxide or (AlxZn1-3x/2O). The metal halide overcoat comprises a metal fluoride.x = 0.01-0.6, preferably 0.1-0.45;M = non-lithium metal element;b1 = 0.01-0.3;z = 0.2;M1,M2 = metal ions having an average valance of +4 and +3 respectively;x1 = 0-1;b2 = 0.05-0.3;a = 0-0.4;b = 0.2-0.65;c = 0-0.46;d = 0-0.15; andA = Mg, Sr, Ba, Cd, Zn, Al, Ga, B, Zr, Ti, Ca, Ce, Y, Nb, Cr, Fe or V.Preferred Method: The method comprises gradually dispersing lithium metal oxide particles in base solution to form uniform aluminum zinc oxide coating.