COMPOSITE CATHODE ACTIVE MATERIAL, CATHODE AND LITHIUM BATTERY INCLUDING THE COMPOSITE CATHODE ACTIVE MATERIAL, AND METHOD OF PREPARING THE COMPOSITE CATHODE ACTIVE MATERIAL

A composite cathode active material, a cathode and a lithium battery that include the composite cathode active material, and a method of preparing the composite cathode active material are provided. The composite cathode active material includes: a core including a lithium transition metal oxide; and a shell conformed to a surface of the core, where the shell includes: lithium nitrate and a conductive carbon-based composite, the conductive carbon-based composite includes a first metal oxide represented by MO (where 0