Process for making manganese-rich cathode active materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023143043-A1
Application number	US-202117907561-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2021
Priority date	Apr 17, 2020
Publication date	May 11, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Process for making a mixed oxide according to the formula Li1+xTM1−xO2 wherein x is in the range of from 0.1 to 0.2 and TM is a combination of elements according to general formula (I) (NiaCobMnc)1-dM1d (I) wherein a is in the range of from 0.30 to 0.38, b being in the range of from zero to 0.05, c being in the range of from 0.60 to 0.70, and d being in the range of from zero to 0.05, M1 is selected from Al, Ti, Zr, W, Mo, Nb, Ta, Mg and combinations of at least two of the forego-ing, a+b+c=1, said process comprising the following steps: (a) providing a particulate hydroxide, oxide or oxyhydroxide of manganese, nickel, and, optionally, at least one of Co and M1, (b) adding a source of lithium, (c) calcining the mixture obtained from step (b) thermally under an atmosphere comprising 0.05 to 5 vol.-% of oxygen at a maximum temperature the range of from 650 to 1000° C.

First claim

1 - 12 .(canceled)

13 . A process for making a mixed oxide according to the formula Li 1+x TM 1−x O 2 wherein x is in the range of from 0.1 to 0.2 and TM is a combination of elements according to general formula (I)
(Ni a Co b Mn c ) 1-d M 1 d   (I)
wherein a ranges from 0.30 to 0.38, b ranges from zero to 0.05, c ranges from 0.60 to 0.70, and d ranges from zero to 0.05, M 1 is selected from Al, Ti, Zr, W, Mo, Nb, Ta, Mg and combinations of at least two of the foregoing,
a+b+c =1,
wherein the process comprises: (a) providing a particulate hydroxide, oxide or oxyhydroxide of manganese, nickel, and, optionally, at least one of Co and M 1 , (b) adding a source of lithium to form a mixture, (c) calcining the mixture obtained from step (b) under an atmosphere comprising of from 0.05 vol.-% to 5 vol.-% of oxygen at a maximum temperature ranging from 650° C. to 1000° C.

14 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein step (c) is performed under a forced flow of gas.

15 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein step (c) is performed in a roller hearth kiln, a pusher kiln, or a rotary hearth kiln.

16 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein step (c) is performed under an atmosphere comprising 0.1 vol.-% to 2 vol.-% of oxygen.

17 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein a remainder of the atmosphere in step (c) is a non-oxidizing gas selected from nitrogen and noble gasses.

18 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein the source of lithium is selected from lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, lithium oxide, and Li 2 O 2 .

19 . The process according to claim 13 , further comprising step (d) subsequent to step (c), and wherein the step (d) is selected from coating and wetting.

20 . A particulate material of a composition Li 1+x TM 1−x O 2 wherein x ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 and TM is a combination of elements according to general formula (I)
(Ni a Co b Mn c ) 1-d M 1 d   (I)
wherein a ranges from 0.30 to 0.38, b ranges from zero to 0.05, c ranges from 0.60 to 0.70, and d ranges from zero to 0.0, M 1 is selected from Al, Ti, Zr, W, Mo, Mg, Nb, Ta, and combinations of at least two of the foregoing,
a+b+c =1,
wherein the particulate material has an average particle diameter D50 ranging from 2 μm to 20 μm, a specific surface (BET) ranging from 0.7 m 2 /g to 3.8 m 2 /g, and wherein the particulate material has a pressed density ranging from 2.75 to 3.1 g/cm 3 .

21 . The particulate material according to claim 20 , wherein M 1 is Al and b is zero.

22 . The particulate material according to claim 20 , wherein the specific surface ranges from 1.5 m 2 /g to 3.8 m 2 /g.

23 . A cathode comprising:
(A) at least one cathode active material according to claim 20 , (B) carbon in electrically conductive form, and (C)at least one binder.

24 . An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode according to claim 23 .

Assignees

• Basf Se
• Univ Leland Stanford Junior

Inventors

• Teufl Tobias Maximilian
• Lampert Jorden K
• Sommer Heino
• Lim Kipil
• Csernica Peter M
• Gent William E
• Chueh William C
• Busse Grace

Classifications

• C01G53/82

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

• H01M10/0525

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

• C01P2006/11

  Powder tap density · CPC title

• C01P2006/40

  Electric properties · CPC title

• C01P2004/03

  obtained by SEM · CPC title