Cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016118656-A1
Application number	US-201414892830-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 22, 2014
Priority date	May 22, 2013
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to easily provide at low cost, a cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which exhibits high particle strength and high weather resistance, while enabling achievement of excellent charge and discharge capacity and excellent output characteristics in cases where the cathode active material is used as a cathode material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A slurry of from 500 g/L to 2000 g/L is formed by adding water to a powder of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula (A): Li z Ni 1-x-y Co x M y O 2 , where 0.10≦x≦0.20, 0≦y≦0.10, 0.97≦z≦1.20, and M represents at least one element selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al); the slurry is washed with water by stirring; and after filtration, the resulting material is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of from 120° C. to 550° C. (inclusive) in an oxygen atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 80% by volume or more.

First claim

1 . A manufacturing method for manufacturing a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising steps of: forming a 500 g/L to 2000 g/L slurry by adding water to a powder of a lithium nickel composite oxide that is represented by a general formula (A): Li z Ni 1-x-y Co x M y O 2 , where 0.10≦x≦0.20, 0≦y≦0.10, 0.97≦z≦1.20, and M is at least one element that is selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al; washing the slurry by mixing; filtering the slurry; and performing heat treatment at a temperature of no less than 120° C. and no greater than 550° C. in an oxygen atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 80% by volume or more.

2 . The manufacturing method for manufacturing a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the water that is used during the washing process is 10° C. to 50° C.

3 . The manufacturing method for manufacturing a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature during the heat treatment is 120° C. or greater but less than 400° C.

4 . The manufacturing method for manufacturing a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein a rate of temperature rise during the heat treatment is 2° C./min to 10° C./min.

5 . The manufacturing method for manufacturing a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein a moisture content of the cathode active material after the heat treatment is 0.2% by mass or less.

6 . A cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery obtained by the manufacturing method according to claim 1 and comprising a layered hexagonal lithium nickel composite oxide that is expressed by a general formula (B): Li z Ni 1-x-y Co x M y O 2 , where 0.10≦x≦0.20, 0≦y≦0.10, 0.95≦z≦1.10, and M is at least one element that is selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al, with a coating layer formed on a surface of the cathode active material, and a composition ratio of lithium with respect to metal(s) other than lithium of the coating layer being 1.50 to 2.30.

7 . The cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 6 , wherein there is no lithium deficiency in the coating layer.

8 . The cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 6 , wherein a specific surface area of the cathode active material is 0.2 g/m 2 to 2.0 g/m 2 .

9 . The cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 6 , wherein a particle strength of the cathode material is 42 MPa or more.

10 . The cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 6 , wherein a moisture content of the cathode active material after the cathode active material was exposed in an air atmosphere for 5 days is less than 1.1% by mass, and a total carbon amount of the cathode active material is less than 0.6% by mass.

11 . A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that is formed using the cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 6 .

Assignees

• Sumitomo Metal Mining Co

Inventors

• Nakayama Tomoko
• Kokado Rei
• Mori Kensaku

Classifications

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• C01P2002/76

  by a space-group or by other symmetry indications · CPC title

• C01P2002/30

  Three-dimensional structures · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M4/505

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