Primary Alkaline Battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022123294-A1
Application number	US-202117646677-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2021
Priority date	Mar 12, 2010
Publication date	Apr 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A primary battery includes a cathode having a non-stoichiometric metal oxide including transition metals Ni, Mn, Co, or a combination of metal atoms, an alkali metal, and hydrogen; an anode; a separator between the cathode and the anode; and an alkaline electrolyte.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of preparing a cathode active material for a primary alkaline battery, comprising:
forming a mixture comprising a layered lithium nickel oxide and one or more precursors to a cathode active material chosen from electrolytic manganese dioxide, chemically-prepared manganese oxide, spinel-type lithium manganese oxide, layered lithium cobalt oxide, layered lithium manganese oxide, and combinations thereof; and treating the mixture with an aqueous acid solution, thereby preparing a cathode active material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous acid solution comprises aqueous sulfuric acid or aqueous nitric acid.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous acid solution has a concentration between 1 M (molar) and 10 M.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treating step is performed for a period of 0.25 hours to 72 hours.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treating step is performed at a temperature between 0° C. and 25° C.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the layered lithium nickel oxide has the formula LiNiO 2 .

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising washing the mixture with water.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising washing the mixture with an aqueous base solution comprising KOH.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the mixture.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying an electrically conductive surface coating to the cathode active material.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electrically conductive surface coating comprises a carbonaceous material, a metal, a conductive metal oxide, or a semiconductive metal oxide.

12 . A method of making a primary alkaline battery comprising:
preparing a cathode by a process comprising treating, with an aqueous acid solution, a mixture comprising a layered lithium nickel oxide and one or more materials chosen from electrolytic manganese dioxide, chemically-prepared manganese oxide, spinel-type lithium manganese oxide, layered lithium cobalt oxide, layered lithium manganese oxide, and combinations thereof, incorporating the cathode into a primary alkaline battery; incorporating an anode into the primary alkaline battery; and incorporating an alkaline electrolyte into the primary alkaline battery.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the anode includes zinc or a zinc alloy.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the battery includes a separator between the cathode and the anode.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the cathode further comprises a conductive additive.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the cathode further comprises a conductive additive chosen from one or more in the group of graphite, carbon black, acetylene black, partially graphitized carbon black, silver powder, gold powder, nickel powder, carbon fibers, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the alkaline electrolyte comprises an alkali hydroxide chosen from one or more in the group of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the alkaline electrolyte comprises potassium hydroxide.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the layered lithium nickel oxide has the formula LiNiO 2 .

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixture comprises electrolytic manganese dioxide.

21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixture comprises LiNiO 2 and electrolytic manganese dioxide in a weight ratio of 9:1 or less.

22 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixture comprises LiNiO 2 and electrolytic manganese dioxide in a weight ratio of 1:19 or more.

23 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixture comprises LiNiO 2 and electrolytic manganese dioxide in a weight ratio of 25:75.

24 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the cathode comprises a composite of delithiated LiNiO 2 and acid-treated electrolytic manganese dioxide in a weight ratio of 13:87.

Assignees

• Duracell Us Operations Inc

Inventors

• Christian Paul Albert
• Wang Yichun
• Iltchev Nikolay Krastev
• Nanjundaswamy Kirakodu S
• Nelson Jennifer Anne
• Zhang Fan

Classifications

• H01M4/362

  Composites · CPC title

• H01M4/366

  as layered products · CPC title

• H01M4/06

  Electrodes for primary cells · CPC title

• B26B21/4012

  Housing details, e.g. for cartridges · CPC title

• H01M4/50

  of manganese · CPC title