Method of producing positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020287212-A1
Application number	US-202016881940-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of producing a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the method includes preparing nickel-containing composite oxide particles having a ratio 1D90/1D10 of a 90% particle size 1D90 to a 10% particle size 1D10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 3 or less; mixing the composite oxide particles and a lithium compound to obtain a first mixture; subjecting the first mixture to a first heat treatment at a first temperature and a second heat treatment at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to obtain a first heat-treated product; and subjecting the first heat-treated material to a dispersion treatment.

First claim

1 . A method of producing a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising:
providing nickel-containing composite oxide particles having a ratio 1 D 90 / 1 D 10 of a 90% particle size 1 D 90 to a 10% particle size 1 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution of 3 or less; mixing the composite oxide particles and a lithium compound to obtain a first mixture; subjecting the first mixture to a first heat treatment at a first temperature and a second heat treatment at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to obtain a first heat-treated material; and dissociating from the first heat-treated material the positive electrode active material, wherein the positive electrode active material comprises lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles being single particles, wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a ratio 2 D 90 / 2 D 10 of a 90% particle size 2 D 90 to a 10% particle size 2 D 10 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is 4 or less, and wherein a molar ratio of nickel in a composition of the lithium-transition metal composite oxide to a total molar number of metals other than lithium is 0.3 to 0.6.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide further contains cobalt and a molar ratio of cobalt in the composition to a total molar number of metals other than lithium is 0.4 or less.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide further contains at least one of Mn or Al and a molar ratio of total molar number of Mn and Al in the composition to a total molar number of metals other than lithium is 0.5 or less.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a molar ratio of lithium in the composition to a total molar number of metals other than lithium is 1.0 to 1.3.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a molar ratio of oxygen in the composition to a total molar number of metals other than lithium is 1.9 to 2.1.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles have a composition represented by the following formula (1):
Li p Ni x Co y M 1 z O 2+α   (1)

wherein p, x, y, z, and a satisfy 1.0≤p≤1.3, 0.3≤x≤0.6, 0≤y≤0.4, 0≤z≤0.5, x+y+z=1, and −0.1≤α≤0.1, and M 1 represents at least one of Mn and Al.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is in a range of 850° C. to 950° C., and the second temperature is in a range of 980° C. to 1,100° C.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
mixing the positive electrode active material dissociated from the first heat-treated material and a lithium compound to obtain a second mixture; and subjecting the second mixture to a heat treatment to obtain a second heat-treated material.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
mixing the positive electrode active material dissociated from the first heat-treated material and a lithium compound to obtain a second mixture; and subjecting the second mixture to a heat treatment to obtain a second heat-treated material.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

11 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the composite oxide particles have a 50% particle size 1 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 4 μm, and the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particles are configured such that the 50% particle size 2 D 50 in volume-based cumulative particle size distribution is in a range of 1 μm to 3 μm.

14 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein p in formula (1) satisfies 1.1≤p≤1.2.

Assignees

• Nichia Corp

Inventors

• Kobayashi Kenichi
• Sano Yukiko

Classifications

• C01G53/82

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

• H01M4/485

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy (H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/131

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

• C01G53/40

  Complex oxides containing nickel and at least one other metal element · CPC title

• H01M4/525

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