Positive electrode active material and method for manufacturing a positive electrode active material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025256984-A1
Application number	US-202519186053-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2025
Priority date	Oct 25, 2022
Publication date	Aug 14, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A positive electrode active material for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries comprises particles having Li, M′, and oxygen. M′ comprises Ni in a content x, wherein x≥80 at %, relative to M′; Co in a content y, wherein 0.01≤y≤20.0 at %, relative to M′; Mn in a content z, wherein 0≤z≤20.0 at %, relative to M′; Y in a content b, wherein 0.01≤b≤2.0 at %, relative to M′; Zr in a content c, wherein 0.01≤c≤2.0 at %, relative to M′; D in a content a, wherein 0≤ a≤5.0 at %, relative to M′. D is selected from B, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mo, Nb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V, W, and Zn. The material comprises secondary particles, wherein each of the secondary particles consists of at least two primary particles and at most twenty primary particles.

First claim

1 . A positive electrode active material for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries comprising Li, M′, and oxygen, wherein M′ comprises:
Ni in a content x, wherein x≥80 at %, relative to M′;
Co in a content y, wherein 0.01≤y≤20.0 at %, relative to M′;
Mn in a content z, wherein 0≤z≤20.0 at %, relative to M′;
Y in a content b, wherein 0.01≤b≤2.0 at %, relative to M′;
Zr in a content c, wherein 0.01≤c≤2.0 at %, relative to M′;
D in a content a, wherein 0≤a≤5.0 at %, relative to M′, wherein D is at least one element selected from the list of Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mo, Nb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V, W, and Zn;
wherein x, y, z, a, b, and c are measured by ICP,
wherein x+y+z+a+b+c is 100.0 at %,
wherein the positive electrode active material comprises secondary particles, wherein each of the secondary particles consists of at least two primary particles and at most twenty primary particles,
wherein the particles have a Co content Co edge as measured by cross-sectional EDS (CS-EDS) at an edge of the particles, wherein Co edge is expressed as at % relative to the sum of Ni, Mn, and Co content as measured by CS-EDS at the edge of the particles,
wherein the particles have a Co content Co center as measured by CS-EDS at a center of the particle, wherein CO center is expressed as at % relative to the sum of Ni, Mn, and Co content as measured by CS-EDS at the center of the particles, and
wherein the ratio Co edge /CO center >1.10.

2 . The positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , wherein CO edge /CO center >1.50.

3 . The positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , wherein 85.0 at %≤x≤98.5 at %.

4 . The positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , wherein (y+z)>1.0 at %.

5 . The positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , wherein b≥0.02 at %.

6 . The positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , wherein c≥0.08 at %.

7 . The positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , wherein the particle median size D50 is at least 2.0 μm and at most 15.0 μm, as determined by laser diffraction particle size analysis.

8 . A method for manufacturing a positive electrode active material according to claim 1 , comprising the consecutive steps of:
a. Mixing a precursor comprising Ni and optionally either one or both of Co and Mn with a Y source, a Zr source, a Li source and optionally a D source to obtain a first mixture, wherein D is at least one element selected from the list of Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mo, Nb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V, W, and Zn, b. Heating the first mixture at a temperature between 650° C. to 1000° C. to obtain a first heated material, c. Milling the first heated material to obtain a milled powder, d. Mixing the milled powder with a Co source to obtain a second mixture, e. Heating the second mixture at a temperature between 500° C. to 900° C. to obtain the positive electrode active material.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the Y source is at least one selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, and yttrium zirconium oxide compound.

10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the Zr source is at least one selected from the group consisting of zirconium oxide, lithium zirconium oxide, and yttrium zirconium oxide compound.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the Y source and Zr source are yttrium zirconium oxide compound.

12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said first heated material is mixed in an aqueous solution comprising Co by using wet bead milling.

13 . A battery comprising the positive electrode active material according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Umicore Nv

Inventors

• Hyoung Jooeun
• Blangero Maxime
• Yong Hansol
• Kim Jihye

Classifications

• H01M10/0525

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

• C01P2006/40

  Electric properties · CPC title

• C01P2004/61

  Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer · CPC title

• C01P2004/51

  Particles with a specific particle size distribution · CPC title

• C01P2004/03

  obtained by SEM · CPC title