Nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide and process for manufacturing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543580-B2
Application number	US-201314764702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Process for manufacturing nickel-cobalt composite represented by Ni 1-x-y Co x Mn y M z (OH) 2 (where, 0.05≦x≦0.95, 0≦y≦0.55, 0≦z≦0.1, x+y+z<1, and M is at least one metal element selected from Al, Mg, and the like), includes: forming seed particle, while reaction solution having mixed solution containing metal compounds and ammonia solution containing ammonium ion supply source at discharge head of an impeller from 50-100 m 2 /s 2 , the concentration of nickel ions is maintained within range 0.1-5 ppm by mass, whereby seed particles are formed; and growing seed particle wherein solution is obtained by supplying mixed and ammonium solutions to reaction solution is agitated with a concentration of nickel ions being maintained within range 5-300 ppm by mass and higher than the concentration of nickel ions in seed particle formation, whereby seed particles are grown up.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for manufacturing a nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide, the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide being represented by a general formula: Ni1-x-yCoxMnyMz(OH)2 (where, 0.05≦x≦0.95, 0≦y≦0.55, 0≦z≦0.1, x+y+z<1, and M is at least one metal element selected from Al, Mg, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Ga) and for use as a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, the process comprising:
a seed particle formation step wherein, while a reaction solution which comprises a mixed solution containing metal compounds including metals constituting the general formula and an ammonia solution containing an ammonium ion supply source is agitated at a discharge head of an impeller of from 50 to 100 m2/s2, a concentration of nickel ions in the reaction solution is maintained within a range from 0.1 to 5 ppm by mass, whereby seed particles are formed; and
a seed particle growth step wherein a solution for seed particle growth which comprises the reaction solution containing the seed particles, a mixed solution containing metal compounds including metals constituting the formula, and an ammonium solution containing an ammonium ion supply source is agitated with a concentration of nickel ions being maintained in a range from 5 to 300 ppm by mass and higher than the concentration of nickel ions in the seed particle formation step, whereby the seed particles are grown up to obtain nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide particles.

2. The process for manufacturing the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide according to claim 1 , wherein, in the seed particle growth step, the solution for seed particle growth is agitated at a discharge head of an impeller of from 10 to 50 m2/s2 and lower than the discharge head of the impeller in the seed particle formation step.

3. The process for manufacturing the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide according to claim 1 , wherein, in the seed particle formation step, a pH value of the reaction solution is controlled to be from 12.0 to 14.0 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C., and in the seed particle growth step, a pH value of the solution for seed particle growth is controlled to be from 11.5 to 13.0 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C.

4. The process for manufacturing the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide according to claim 1 , wherein, in the seed particle formation step, a concentration of ammonia in the reaction solution is controlled to be from 5 to 15 g/L, and, in the seed particle growth step, a concentration of ammonia in the solution for seed particle growth is controlled to be from 10 to 20 g/L.

5. The process for manufacturing the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide according to claim 1 , wherein the seed particle formation step is performed in a first reaction vessel, and the seed particle growth step is performed in a second reaction vessel, and
wherein, in the seed particle growth step, the reaction solution containing the seed particles is continuously supplied from the first reaction vessel to the second reaction vessel, and the mixed solution and the ammonium solution are supplied to the second reaction vessel.

6. The process for manufacturing the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide according to claim 5 , wherein the nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide particles formed in the seed particle growth step are collected by making the solution for seed particle growth overflow from the second reaction vessel.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Metal Mining Co

Inventors

• Kase Katsuya
• Kamata Yasutaka

Classifications

• C01P2004/51

  Particles with a specific particle size distribution · CPC title

• H01M4/525 Primary

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

• C01P2004/61

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

• C01G53/00 Primary

  Compounds of nickel · CPC title

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title