Lithium　ion　batteries　(LIBs)　are　one　of　the　most　promising　secondary　batteries　due　to　their　advantages　including　long　cycle　life,　high　energy　density,　limited　self-discharge,　high　operating　voltage　and　environmental　friendliness.　The　development　of　electrode　materials　is　crucial　for　the　further　application　of　LIBs.　There　are　many　effective　ways　to　enhance　the　performance　of　positive　electrode　materials　of　LIBs　such　as　surface　coating,　ion　doping,　preparation　of　composite　materials　and　nanosized　materials　and　so　forth.　Among　them,　surface　coating　is　considered　to　be　a　promising　way　to　improve　the　electrochemical　performance　of　LIBs.　Surface　coating　can　normally　form　a　physical　barrier　or　a　doped　surface　layer　to　play　favorable　roles　for　the　electrode　materials,　such　as　hindering　side　reactions　between　positive　electrode　materials　and　the　electrolyte.　In　this　paper,　different　kinds　of　surface　coating　layers　will　be　discussed　according　to　previous　research,　including　carbon　materials,　metal　oxides,　metal　oxides,　metal　phosphates,　nonmetal　oxides,　electrode　materials　coating　layer,　hybrid　coating　layer,　polymer　and　so　forth.　In　addition,　the　mechanism　of　these　coating　materials　will　be　summarized,　and　the　future　development　will　be　discussed　in　this　paper.