Method of producing positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10115967-B2
Application number	US-201715473974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A method of producing a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the method includes preparing nickel-containing composite oxide particles having a ratio 1D90/1D10 of a 90% particle size 1D90 to a 10% particle size 1D10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 3 or less; mixing the composite oxide particles and a lithium compound to obtain a first mixture; subjecting the first mixture to a first heat treatment at a first temperature and a second heat treatment at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to obtain a first heat-treated product; and subjecting the first heat-treated material to a dispersion treatment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising:
providing nickel-containing composite oxide particles having a ratio 1 D 90 / 1 D 10 of a 90% particle size 1 D 90 to a 10% particle size 1 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution of 3 or less;
mixing the composite oxide particles and a lithium compound to obtain a first mixture;
subjecting the first mixture to a first heat treatment at a first temperature and a second heat treatment at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to obtain a first heat-treated material; and
dissociation from the first heat-treated material the positive electrode active material,
wherein the positive electrode active material comprises lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles having a ratio 2 D 50 / 2 D SEM of a 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution to an average particle size 2 D SEM based on electron microscopic observation in a range of 1 to 4, and
wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a composition represented by the following formula (1):
Li p Ni x Co y M z 1 O 2+α   (1)

wherein p, x, y, z, and α satisfy 1.0≤p≤1.3, 0.3≤x<0.6, 0≤y≤0.4, 0≤z≤0.5, x+y+z=1, and −0.1≤α≤0.1, and M 1 represents at least one of Mn and Al.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is in a range of 850° C. to 950° C., and the second temperature is in a range of 980° C. to 1,100° C.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
mixing the positive electrode active material dissociated from the first heat-treated material and a lithium compound to obtain a second mixture; and
subjecting the second mixture to a heat treatment to obtain a second heat-treated material.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a ratio 2 D 90 / 2 D 10 of a 90% particle size 2 D 90 to a 10% particle size 2 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 4 or less.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a ratio 2 D 90 / 2 D 10 of a 90% particle size 2 D 90 to a 10% particle size 2 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 4 or less.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
mixing the positive electrode active material dissociated from the first heat-treated material and a lithium compound to obtain a second mixture; and
subjecting the second mixture to a heat treatment to obtain a second heat-treated material.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a ratio 2 D 90 / 2 D 10 of a 90% particle size 2 D 90 to a 10% particle size 2 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 4 or less.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a ratio 2 D 90 / 2 D 10 of a 90% particle size 2 D 90 to a 10% particle size 2 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 4 or less.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and
the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein p in formula (1) satisfies 1.1≤p≤1.2.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio 2 D 50 / 2 D SEM of the 2 D 50 to the 2 D SEM is in a range of 1 to 3.

Assignees

• Nichia Corp

Inventors

• Kobayashi Kenichi
• Sano Yukiko

Classifications

• H01M4/525

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy · CPC title

• C01G53/40

  Complex oxides containing nickel and at least one other metal element · CPC title

• H01M4/485

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy (H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/505 Primary

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy · CPC title