The manganese dissolution behavior of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) dissolved in carbonate-based organic solvents is investigated by ex situ field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). X-ray diffraction (XRD), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP). It is found that the LiPF6 salt anions in the electrolytes are prone to oxidize upon contacting delithiated lithium manganese oxide with high oxidizing power and the electrons that evolved from the oxidation of anions are consumed in the reduction of tetravalent manganese ions to trivalent manganese ions at 60 degrees C. The generated trivalent manganese ions readily undergo a disproportion reaction and thereby release divalent manganese ions into the electrolytes, which leads to a capacity loss in the lithium manganese oxide cathode. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.