Positive electrode active material and rechargeable lithium battery including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025192171-A1
Application number	US-202418751091-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2024
Priority date	Dec 12, 2023
Publication date	Jun 12, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Positive electrode active materials, methods of fabricating the positive electrode active materials, positive electrodes including the positive electrode active materials, and rechargeable lithium batteries including the positive electrodes are disclosed. The positive electrode active material includes a positive electrode active material including a plurality of particles including lithium composite oxide represented by Chemical Formula 1.
Li a Ni x Mi 1-x O b   Chemical Formula 1

In Chemical Formula 1, a is about 0.5 to about 1.5. x is about 0.6 to about 0.99. b is about 1.8 to about 2.2. 1-x may be about 0.01 to about 0.4. M includes at least one element selected from among Co, Al, Mn, Na, Mg, Ca, Y, Ti, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Fe, Cu, Ag, Zn, B, Ga, C, Si, and Sn. The particle includes Na and S. A mass fraction (Na/S) of the Na to the S is about 0.03 to about 0.2.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A positive electrode active material, comprising a plurality of particles each comprising a lithium composite oxide represented by Chemical Formula 1,
Li a Ni x M 1-x O b   Chemical Formula 1
wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, a is about 0.5 to about 1.5, x is about 0.6 to about 0.99, b is about 1.8 to about 2.2, 1-x is about 0.01 to about 0.4, M comprises at least one element selected from among Co, Al, Mn, Na, Mg, Ca, Y, Ti, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Fe, Cu, Ag, Zn, B, Ga, C, Si, and Sn, each of the particles comprises sodium (Na) and sulfur (S), and a mass fraction (Na/S) of the sodium (Na) to the sulfur (S) is about 0.03 to about 0.2.

2 . The positive electrode active material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the x is about 0.8 to about 0.99.

3 . The positive electrode active material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lithium composite oxide has a layered crystalline structure.

4 . The positive electrode active material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the particles comprises a secondary particle comprising a plurality of primary particles.

5 . The positive electrode active material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an average particle dimeter of the plurality of the particles is about 10.0 μm to about 20.0 μm.

6 . The positive electrode active material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the sodium (Na) and the sulfur (S) are from a wet coating process, and NaOH is excluded in the wet coating process.

7 . A method of fabricating a positive electrode active material, the method comprising:
forming a nickel-based hydroxide precursor; mixing the nickel-based hydroxide precursor and a lithium raw material to form a mixture; firing the mixture to form a plurality of particles each comprising a lithium composite oxide; and performing a wet coating process on the particles, wherein, after the performing of the wet coating process on the particles, coated particles comprises sodium (Na) and sulfur (S), and wherein a mass fraction (Na/S) of the sodium (Na) to the sulfur (S) is about 0.03 to about 0.2.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein,
the wet coating process comprises mixing the particles with a solution comprising a metal sulfate, and the wet coating process excludes an addition of NaOH.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the metal sulfate comprises cobalt sulfate.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the sulfur (S) is from the metal sulfate.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , before the performing of the wet coating process, the method further comprising grinding the particles.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein an average particle diameter of the particles is about 10.0 μm to about 20.0 μm.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the performing of the wet coating process comprises:
mixing the particles with a metal sulfate solution; and performing a heat treatment process on the coated particles.

14 . A positive electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery, the positive electrode comprising the positive electrode active material as claimed in claim 1 .

15 . A rechargeable lithium battery comprising the positive electrode as claimed in claim 14 .

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Taegeun
• Chang Donggyu
• Jang Jungsue
• Shim Jaeha
• Seog Jihyun
• Chae Youngjoo
• Park Jingyu
• Hong Youngjae

Classifications

• H01M4/62

  Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers · CPC title

• H01M4/366

  as layered products · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/131

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