Precursor of a positive electrode material for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11909044-B2
Application number	US-201917287148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Oct 24, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A precursor compound for manufacturing a lithium transition metal based oxide powder usable as an active positive electrode material in lithium-ion batteries, the precursor being either one of a metal-bearing M′-hydroxide, -oxyhydroxide or -carbonate, with M′=Ni 1-x-y-z Mn x CO y A z with x>0, y>0, 0.70≤1-x-y-z≤0.95 and 0≤z<0.1, the precursor comprising having a core comprising a metal-bearing compound M′ c and a shell comprising a metal-bearing compound M′ s , wherein M′ c =Ni 1-xc-yc-zc Mn xc CO yc A zc with 0<xc≤0.2, 0<yc≤0.2, 0≤zc<0.1 and 0.75≤1-x-y-z≤0.95, and M′ s =Ni 1-xs-ys-zs Mn xs CO ys A zs with 0<xs≤0.25, 0.75<ys≤0.95, 0≤zs<0.1 and 0≤ 1-xs-ys-zs ≤0.10.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A precursor compound for manufacturing a lithium transition metal-based oxide powder usable as an active positive electrode material in lithium-ion batteries, the precursor being one of a metal-bearing M′-hydroxide, -oxyhydroxide or -carbonate, with M′=Ni 1-x-y-z Mn x Co y A z with x>0, y>0, 0.70≤1x-y-z≤0.95, 0≤z<0.1, and A comprising one or more of Ti, Mg, W, Zr, Cr, V or Al, and the precursor comprising
a core comprising a metal-bearing compound M′ c and
a shell comprising a metal-bearing compound M′ s ,

wherein M′ c =Ni 1-xc-yc-zc Mn xc Co yc A zc with 0<xc≤0.2 , 0<yc≤0.2, 0≤zc≤0.1 and 0.75≤1-xc-yc-zc≤0.95, and M′s=Ni 1-xs-ys-zs Mn xs Co ys A zs with 0<xs≤0.25, 0.75<ys≤0.95, 0≤zs<0.1 and 0≤1-xs-ys-zs≤0.10.

2. The precursor compound of claim 1 , wherein 0.05≤xs≤0.25.

3. The precursor compound of claim 1 , wherein 1-xs-ys-zs=0.

4. The precursor compound of claim 1 , wherein the precursor compound has an average radius R, and the shell has an average thickness T s , with T s being between 0.5 and 5% of R.

5. The precursor compound of claim 1 , wherein the precursor is a M′-hydroxide or -oxyhydroxide, wherein 0.05<xc<0.15, 0.05<yc<0.15, zc=0 and 0.75<1-x-y-z<0.85, and wherein 0.05<xs<0.15, 0.85<ys<0.95 and zs=0.

6. A method for manufacturing a lithium transition metal-based oxide powder usable as an active positive electrode material in lithium-ion batteries comprising:
providing a precursor compound according to claim 1 ,
mixing the precursor compound with LiOH, and
sintering the mixture at a temperature superior or equal to 680° C. and inferior or equal to 800° C.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of providing the precursor compound comprises:
providing a first aqueous solution comprising M′ c SO 4 , NaOH and NH 3 , wherein the content of OH − ions is at least twice the content of M′ c ions,
precipitating M′ c (OH) 2 as a core material,
providing a second aqueous solution comprising the precipitated M′ c (OH) 2 , M′ s SO 4 , NaOH and NH 3 , thereby precipitating the precursor compound comprising the M′ c (OH) 2 core material and a shell material comprising M′ s .

Assignees

• Umicore Nv
• Umicore Korea Ltd

Inventors

• Blangero Maxime
• Zhu Liang
• Lee Yuri
• Driesen Kris

Classifications

• C01G53/82 Primary

  Compounds containing nickel, with or without oxygen or hydrogen, and containing two or more other elements · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/505

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