# US 12,015,142 B2 · Methods involving use of nitrogen-containing plasma to treat liquid electrolyte lithium-ion cathode materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,142 B2 - Document ID: US12015142B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/308,042 - Filed: 2021-05-04 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-03 - Applicants: Venkatraman Prabhakar - Inventors: Venkatraman Prabhakar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015142B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/1391: of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx - H01M 4/0404: {by coating on electrode collectors} - H01M 4/0423: {Physical vapour deposition} - H01M 4/0435: {Rolling or calendering} - H01M 4/0471: {involving thermal treatment, e.g. firing, sintering, backing particulate active material, thermal decomposition, pyrolysis} - H01M 4/131: Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx - H01M 4/505: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy - H01M 4/525: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy - H01M 4/661: {Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence)} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - B05D 3/141: {Plasma treatment} - B05D 3/145: {After-treatment} - H01M 2004/028: {Positive electrodes} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Systems and methods related to manufacturing of Lithium-Ion cells and Lithium-Ion cell cathode materials are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of using a Nitrogen-containing plasma to treat the Lithium-Ion cell cathode materials. Moreover, the method may include treating the cathode materials before and/or after coating the cathode materials on a metal foil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of fabricating a Lithium-ion cell, the method comprising: coating a cathode powder on a metal foil to produce a cathode-coated metal foil; wherein the cathode powder comprises one or more cathode active materials; wherein the cathode powder contains Lithium, Nickel, and Oxygen and the one or more cathode active materials have a chemical formula of Li(NixMnyCozAlw)O2, wherein 0.6≤x≤0.95, 0.02≤y≤0.2, 0≤z≤0.2, 0≤w≤0.1, and the Lithium is not lithium excess; drying, by one or more dryer chambers, the cathode-coated metal foil, wherein each of the one or more dryer chambers is configured with a header, a solvent exhaust collection and a recovery system; exposing, by at least one plasma chamber, the cathode-coated metal foil with treating material comprising nitrogen containing plasma having a nitrogen-containing reactive gas that reacts with the one or more cathode active materials to incorporate Nitrogen into the Lithium-ion cell's cathode, wherein the plasma is a near-atmospheric pressure plasma source ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.5 atmospheres pressure; calendering or rolling the cathode-coated metal foil treated to incorporate the Nitrogen; and placing the cathode-coated foil, treated to incorporate the Nitrogen, in a receptacle with a liquid electrolyte, to yield the Lithium-ion cell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the nitrogen-containing reactive gas consists essentially of N2. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the nitrogen-containing reactive gas consists essentially of NH3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the nitrogen-containing reactive gas comprises one or more of N2/O2, air, N2/NF3, N2/NF3/O2, N2/NH3, and/or N2/NH3/O2. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein x=0.6, y=0.2, z=0.2, and w=0. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein x=0.8, y=0.1, z=0.1, and w=0. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein 0.9