Method for producing nickel lithium metal complex oxide powder of small particle size

A preparation method of a nickel-lithium metal composite oxide powder formed of a nickel-lithium metal composite oxide represented by Formula (1), wherein the nickel-lithium metal composite oxide powder has a cumulative percentage particle diameter distribution having a D0.001 which is 0.8 μm to 3.0 μm, a D10 which is 2.0 μm to 5.0 μm, D50 which is 2.0 μm to 6.5 μm, a D90 which is 5.5 μm to 12.0 μm, and D100 which is 10.0 μm to 20.0 μm, wherein D50>D10, the method comprising:

• (Step 1) mixing lithium carbonate with a precursor and with a hydroxide of a metal M and/or an oxide of a metal M, wherein the precursor includes Ni in the form of nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxide, Co in the form of cobalt hydroxide and/or cobalt oxide to obtain a mixture;
• and
• (Step 2) firing the mixture obtained in Step 1 at a temperature lower than a melting point of the lithium carbonate to obtain a fired product
• LiaNi1-x-yCoxMyOb (1)
• wherein, in Formula (1), relationships of 0.90<a<1.10, 1.7<b<2.2, 0.01<x<0.15, and 0.005<y<0.10 are satisfied, and wherein M includes Al as an essential element and may include elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, W, Nb, Mg, Zr, and Zn, or
• (Step 1′) mixing lithium carbonate with a precursor, wherein the precursor includes Ni in the form of nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxide, Co in the form of cobalt hydroxide and/or cobalt oxide, and metal M in the form of hydroxide of the metal M and/or oxide of the metal M to obtain a mixture;
• and
• (Step 2) firing the mixture obtained in Step 1′ at a temperature lower than a melting point of the lithium carbonate to obtain a fired product
• LiaNi1-x-yCoxMyOb (1)
• wherein, in Formula (1), relationships of 0.90<a<1.10, 1.7<b<2.2, 0.01<x<0.15, and 0.005<y<0.10 are satisfied, and wherein M includes Al as an essential element and may include elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, W, Nb, Mg, Zr, and Zn, or
• (Step 1) mixing lithium carbonate with a precursor and with a hydroxide of a metal M and/or an oxide of a metal M, wherein the precursor includes Ni in the form of nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxide, Co in the form of cobalt hydroxide and/or cobalt oxide to obtain a mixture;
• and
• (Step 1′) mixing the lithium carbonate with a precursor, wherein the precursor includes Ni in the form of nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxide, Co in the form of cobalt hydroxide and/or cobalt oxide, and metal M in the form of hydroxide of the metal M and/or oxide of the metal M to obtain a mixture;
• and
• (Step 2) firing the mixture obtained in Step 1 and Step 1′ at a temperature lower than a melting point of the lithium carbonate to obtain a fired product
• LiaNi1-x-yCoxMyOb (1)
• wherein, in Formula (1), relationships of 0.90<a<1.10, 1.7<b<2.2, 0.01<x<0.15, and 0.005<y<0.10 are satisfied, and wherein M includes Al as an essential element and may include elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, W, Nb, Mg, Zr, and Zn,
• wherein a crushing and/or pulverizing step is not necessary to be performed after firing because the nickel-lithium metal composite oxide obtained through Step 2 has no aggregate of particles.