Nickel-cobalt-manganese complex hydroxide particles and method for producing same, positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and method for producing same, and nonaqueous electrolyte second battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10490815-B2
Application number	US-201715673650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2017
Priority date	Dec 2, 2009
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A method for producing a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction is provided. The method includes: a nucleation step of performing nucleation by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation including metal compounds containing nickel, cobalt and manganese, and an ammonium ion donor to 12.0 to 14.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard; and a particle growth step of growing nuclei by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing nuclei formed in the nucleation step to 10.5 to 12.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles represented by a general formula: Ni x Co y Mn z M t (OH) 2+α , where 0.3≤x≤0.7, 0.1≤y≤0.4, 0.1≤z≤0.5, 0≤t≤0.02, x+y+z+t=1, 0≤α≤0.5, and M is at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Al, Mg, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W, employing a crystallization reaction,
the method comprising:
a nucleation step of performing nucleation by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation containing a metal compound having nickel, cobalt and manganese, and an ammonium ion donor to 12.0 to 14.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard; and
after completion of nucleation step, starting a particle growth step of growing nuclei by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing nuclei formed in the nucleation step to 10.5 to 12.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard.

2. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 1 , wherein
the aqueous solution for particle growth is formed by adjusting a pH of the aqueous solution for nucleation after completing the nucleation step.

3. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 1 , wherein
the aqueous solution for particle growth is prepared by adding the aqueous solution containing the nuclei formed in the nucleation step to an aqueous solution distinct from the aqueous solution for nucleation in which the nuclei have been formed.

4. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 1 , wherein
the particle growth step is performed after discharging a part of a liquid portion of the aqueous solution for particle growth after the nucleation step.

5. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 1 , wherein
a temperature of each aqueous solution is maintained at 20° C. or more in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

6. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 1 , wherein
an ammonia concentration of each aqueous solution is maintained within a range of 3 to 25 g/l in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

7. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 1 , wherein
a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide obtained in the particle growth step is covered with a compound including at least one of the additional elements.

8. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 2 , wherein
the particle growth step is performed after discharging a part of a liquid portion of the aqueous solution for particle growth after the nucleation step.

9. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 3 , wherein
the particle growth step is performed after discharging a part of a liquid portion of the aqueous solution for particle growth after the nucleation step.

10. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 2 , wherein
a temperature of each aqueous solution is maintained at 20° C. or more in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

11. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 3 , wherein
a temperature of each aqueous solution is maintained at 20° C. or more in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

12. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 4 , wherein
a temperature of each aqueous solution is maintained at 20° C. or more in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

13. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 2 , wherein
an ammonia concentration of each aqueous solution is maintained within a range of 3 to 25 g/l in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

14. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 3 , wherein
an ammonia concentration of each aqueous solution is maintained within a range of 3 to 25 g/l in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

15. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 4 , wherein
an ammonia concentration of each aqueous solution is maintained within a range of 3 to 25 g/l in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

16. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 5 , wherein
an ammonia concentration of each aqueous solution is maintained within a range of 3 to 25 g/l in the nucleation step and the particle growth step.

17. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 2 , wherein
a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide obtained in the particle growth step is covered with a compound including at least one of the additional elements.

18. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 3 , wherein
a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide obtained in the particle growth step is covered with a compound including at least one of the additional elements.

19. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 4 , wherein
a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide obtained in the particle growth step is covered with a compound including at least one of the additional elements.

20. The method for producing nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles according to claim 5 , wherein
a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide obtained in the particle growth step is covered with a compound including at least one of the additional elements.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Metal Mining Co
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Toya Hiroyuki
• Imaizumi Shin
• Mori Kensaku
• Fukui Atsushi
• Ikeuchi Kenji
• Ryoshi Kazuomi
• Osako Toshiyuki
• Nagai Hiroki

Classifications

• C01G53/00

  Compounds of nickel · CPC title

• H01M4/525 Primary

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

• C01P2006/40

  Electric properties · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• C01P2004/61

  Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer · CPC title