Doped and Coated Lithium Transition Metal Oxide Cathode Materials for Batteries in Automotive Applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017069907-A1
Application number	US-201515122942-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A lithium metal oxide powder for use as a cathode material in a rechargeable battery, consisting of Li metal oxide core particles having a general formula Li 1+d (Ni x Mn y Co z Zr k M′ m ) i−d 0 2±e Ar; wherein Al 2 0 3 is attached to the surface of the core particles; wherein 0≦d≦0.08, 0.2≦x≦0.9, 0<y≦0.7, 0<z≦0.4, 0≦m≦0.02, 0<k≦0.05, e<0.02, 0≦f≦0.02 and x+y+z−k+m=1; M′ consisting of either one or more elements from the group Al, Mg, Ti, Cr, V, Fe and Ga; A consisting of either one or more elements from the group F, P, C, CI, S, Si, Ba, Y, Ca, B, Sn, Sb, Na and Zn; and wherein the Al 2 0 3 content in the powder is between 0.05 and 1 wt %.

First claim

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A lithium metal oxide powder for use as a cathode material in a rechargeable battery, comprising Li metal oxide core particles having a general formula Li 1+d (Ni x Mn y Co z Zr k M′ m ) 1−d O 2±e A f , wherein Al 2 O 3 is attached to the surfaces of the core particles; wherein 0≦d≦0.08, 0.2≦x≦0.9, 0<y≦0.7, 0<z≦0.4, 0≦m≦0.02, 0<k≦0.05, 0≦e<0.02, 0≦f≦0.02 and x+y+z+k+m=1; M′ selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Ti, Cr, V, Fe and Ga; A selected from the group consisting of F, P, C, Cl, S, Si, Ba, Y, Ca, B, Sn, Sb, Na and Zn; and wherein the Al 2 O 3 content in the powder is between 0.05 and 1 wt %.

18 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein the median particle size D50 of the core particles is between 2 and 5 μm.

19 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein Al 2 O 3 is attached to the surfaces of the core particles as a discontinuous coating.

20 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein Al 2 O 3 is attached to the surfaces of the core particles in the form of a plurality of discrete particles having a d50<100 nm.

21 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein Al 2 O 3 is removably attached to the surfaces of the core particles by a dry-coating process.

22 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein 0<x-y<0.4 and 0.1<z<0.4.

23 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein each one of x, y and z is equal to 0.33±0.03, and 0.04<d<0.08.

24 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein x=0.40±0.03, y=0.30±0.03, z=0.30±0.03 and 0.04≦d 0.08.

25 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein x=0.50±0.03, y=0.30±0.03, z=0.20±0.03 and 0.02<d<0.05.

26 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein x=0.60±0.03, y=0.20±0.03, z=0.20±0.03 and 0<d<0.03.

27 . The lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein the concentration of Zr is higher at the surfaces than in the bulks of the Li metal oxide core particles.

28 . A process of preparing a lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , the powder comprising Li metal oxide core particles and Al 2 O 3 attached to the surfaces of the core particles, comprising:
providing Al 2 O 3 powder having a volume V1, the Al 2 O 3 powder being a nanometric, non-agglomerated powder; providing a volume V2 of the Li metal oxide core material, said Li metal oxide core material having a general formula Li 1+d (Ni x Mn y Co z Zr k M′ m ) 1−d O 2±e A f , wherein 0≦d≦0.08, 0.2≦x≦0.9, 0<y≦0.7, 0<z≦0.4, 0≦m≦0.02, 0<k≦0.05, 0≦e<0.02, 0≦f≦0.02 and x+y+z+k+m=1; M′ selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Ti, Cr, V, Fe and Ga; A selected from the group consisting of F, P, C, Cl, S, Si, Ba, Y, Ca, B, Sn, Sb, Na and Zn; and mixing the Al 2 O 3 powder and the Li metal oxide core material in a dry-coating procedure, thereby covering the Li metal oxide core material with Al 2 O 3 particles, the Al 2 O 3 content in the lithium metal oxide powder being between 0.5 and 1 wt %.

29 . The process according to claim 28 , wherein during the step of mixing the Al 2 O 3 powder and the Li metal oxide core material in a dry-coating procedure, the volume V1+V2=Va decreases, until the volume remains constant at a value Vb, thereby covering the Li metal oxide core material with Al 2 O 3 particles.

30 . A battery comprising a cathode material comprising the lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 , wherein the battery is used in an automotive application.

31 . A battery of a hybrid electric vehicle comprising a cathode material comprising the lithium metal oxide powder according to claim 17 .

Assignees

• Umicore Nv
• Umicore Korea Ltd

Inventors

• Zhu Liang
• Paulsen Jens
• Ahn Hyo Sun
• Hong Heonpyo

Classifications

• C01P2006/12

  Surface area · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• C01G53/50

  of the type (MnO2)n-, e.g. Li(NixMn1-x)O2 or Li(MyNixMn1-x-y)O2 · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title