The specific capacity of lithium-ion battery with lithium cobalt oxide as cathode depends on the upper limitation voltage for charge/discharge cycling, but this oxide tends to be destructed structurally when it is cycled in carbonate-based electrolyte under high voltage. We report a novel electrolyte additive, fumaronitrile (FN, CN-CH=CH-CN), which can maintain the structural integrity of lithium cobalt oxide. Electrochemical measurements indicate that lithium cobalt oxide exhibits poor cyclic stability when it is cycled under 4.5 V (vs. Li/Li+) and the charged cathode suffers serious self-discharge in a base electrolyte, 1.0 mol L-1 LiPF6 in EC/EMC/DEC (3:5:2, by weight). These issues can be overcome effectively by adding 0.5% FN into the base electrolyte. Physical and chemical characterizations demonstrate that the poor cyclic stability and self-discharge of lithium cobalt oxide result from its structural destruction caused by HF formed from electrolyte decomposition, and FN yields a protective cathode interphase film which maintains the structural integrity of lithium cobalt oxide. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.