Lithium battery cathode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016308206-A1
Application number	US-201415102844-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 9, 2013
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cathode material formed of a plurality of lithium inclusive particles. The particles have a core surrounded by a shell. The shell is characterized by a plurality of pores. Exemplary materials of which the particles are formed include NMC. The cathode material is suitable for use in a lithium-ion battery which has application in apparatus such as automotive vehicles.

First claim

1 . A cathode material comprising:
a plurality of lithium inclusive particles; wherein said particles include a core surrounded by a shell, said shell characterized by a plurality of pores.

2 . The cathode material of claim 1 wherein said particles are substantially non-spherical.

3 . The cathode material of claim 1 wherein said particles have an average size of less than about 50 microns.

4 . The cathode material of claim 1 wherein said particles are comprised of NMC.

5 . The cathode material of claim 4 wherein said shell comprises a Ni:Co:Mn atomic ratio wherein Ni>Co>Mn.

6 . The cathode material of claim 1 wherein the shell comprises less than 50% of the particle diameter.

7 . The cathode material of claim 6 wherein the shell comprises less than about 25% of the particle diameter.

8 . The cathode material of claim 4 wherein said core comprises a Ni:Co:Mn atomic ratio of substantially Ni═Co═Mn.

9 . A battery including the cathode material of claim 1 .

10 . An automotive vehicle including the battery of claim 9 .

11 . A method of treating a cathode material of a battery comprising:
providing said material in the form of particles; exposing said particles to an acid solution for a time period sufficient to form a plurality of pores in a surface of said particles; and heat treating said particles.

12 . A method of manufacturing a lithium battery comprising:
providing a lithium material compound in the form of particles; exposing said particles to an acid solution for a time period sufficient to form a plurality of pores in a surface of said particles; heat treating said particle; and assembling said particles as the cathode of a battery.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein said particles are comprised of NMC.

14 . The method of claims 12 wherein said acid solution comprises one of HF, H 2 SO 4 , HNO 3 , and HCl.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein said particles are exposed to said acid solution for at least 10 minutes.

16 . The method of claim 12 wherein said acid solution includes a lithium compound.

17 . The method of claim 12 wherein said particles are exposed to a solution including a Li compound after said acid treatment.

18 . The method of claim 12 wherein said heat treating comprises heating said particles to at least 100° C.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein said acid solution includes a molar mass of acid solute of greater than about 0.1M.

20 . The method of claim 12 wherein said particles before exposure to said acid solution have an average particle size greater than one micron after exposure to said acid solution have an average particle size of less than one micron.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bi Wu
• Fau Christian
• Gu Wentian
• Hou Yue

Classifications

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M2220/20

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

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/131

  Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx · CPC title

• H01M4/1391

  of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx · CPC title