Process for making a cathode active material and a precursor therefore, cathode active material and its use

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a process for making a particulate material according to the general formula (I): NiaCObMncMd(O)x(OH)y, wherein M is selected from Al and Ti, x is in the range of from 0.01 to 0.9, y is in the range of from 1.1 to 1.99, a is in the range of from 0.3 to 0.85, b is in the range of from 0.05 to 0.4, c is in the range of from 0.1 to 0.5, d is in the range of from 0.001 to 0.03, with a+b+c+d=1 said process comprising the following steps: (a) providing an aqueous slurry of particles of aluminum hydroxide or titanium dioxide, (b) adding an aqueous solution of water-soluble salts of nickel, cobalt and manganese and a solution of alkali metal hydroxide to the slurry according to step (a), thereby co-precipitating a layer of a mixed hydroxide of nickel and cobalt and manganese hydroxide on the particles according to step (a), (c) removing particles of (NiaCObMncAld)(OH)2+d or (NiaCObMncTid)(OH)2+2d so obtained and drying them in the presence of oxygen.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.