# US 12,119,475 B2 · Process for making an at least partially coated electrode active material

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- Number: US 12,119,475 B2
- Document ID: US12119475B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/250,955
- Filed: 2019-09-20
- Published: 2021-11-25
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-02
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Applicants: BASF SE
- Inventors: Zhenji Han; Junji Kashiwagi; Suhao Wei; Jumpei Nakayama; Daisuke Morita; Martin Schulz-Dobrick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119475B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/0402: {Methods of deposition of the material}
- C01G 53/504: with the molar ratio of nickel with respect to all the metals other than alkali metals higher than or equal to 0.5, e.g. Li(MzNixCoyMn1-x-y-z)O2 with x ≥ 0.5
- C01G 53/506: with the molar ratio of nickel with respect to all the metals other than alkali metals higher than or equal to 0.8, e.g. Li(MzNixCoyMn1-x-y-z)O2 with x ≥ 0.8
- C01G 53/82: Compounds containing nickel, with or without oxygen or hydrogen, and containing two or more other elements
- H01M 4/1391: of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
- H01M 4/366: {as layered products}
- 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 4/623: {fluorinated polymers}
- H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
- C01P 2002/54: one element only
- C01P 2004/51: Particles with a specific particle size distribution
- C01P 2006/12: Surface area
- H01M 4/0416: {involving impregnation with a solution, dispersion, paste or dry powder (H01M4/0438 takes precedence)}
- 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
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C01G: COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F (metal hydrides {monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof} C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts or peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium, or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; {compounds containing nitrogen, other non-metals and metal C01B21/082}; metal amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20)
- C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Process for making an at least partially coated electrode active material wherein said process comprises the following steps: (a) Providing an electrode active material according to general formula Li1−xTM1−xO2, wherein TM is Ni and, optionally, at least one of Co and Mn, and, optionally, at least one element selected from Al, Mg, Ba and B, transition metals other than Ni, Co, and Mn, and x is in the range of from zero to 0.2, wherein at least 50 mole-% of the transition metal of TM is Ni, (b) treating said electrode active material with an aqueous formulation containing a compound of Me wherein Me is selected from Sb, Mg, Zn, Sn, and Te, (c) separating off the water, (d) treating the residue thermally.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for making an at least partially coated electrode active material comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an electrode active material according to general formula Li1+xTM1−xO2, wherein TM is a combination of metals according to general formula (I a)
(NiaCobMnc)1−dMd (I a)
with
a ranging from 0.60 to 0.99;
b ranging from 0.01 to 0.20;
c ranging from zero to 0.20; and
d ranging from zero to 0.10;
M is at least one of Al, Mg, Ti, Nb, Mo, W, and Zr; and
a+b+c=1;
and x ranges from zero to 0.20;
or wherein TM corresponds to the general formula (I b)
(Nia*COb*Ale*)1−d*M2d* (I b)
with
a* ranging from 0.75 to 0.95;
b* ranging from 0.025 to 0.2;
e* ranging from 0.01 to 0.2; and
d* ranging from zero to 0.1;
M2 is at least one of W, Mo, Ti and Zr; and
a*+b*+e*=1;
and x ranges from −0.05 to 0.2;
(b) treating the electrode active material from step (a) with an aqueous formulation comprising a compound of Me wherein Me is chosen from Sb, Mg, Zn, Sn, and Te, wherein the compound of Me has an average particle diameter (D50) in a range of 200 nm to 10 μm dispersed in water;
(c) separating off water from the aqueous formulation to form a residue; and
(d) treating the residue thermally under an oxygen-containing atmosphere.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein step (c) is performed by filtration or with the help of a centrifuge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein M is Al.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the compound of Me in step (b) is chosen from inorganic compounds of antimony.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the compound of Me in step (b) is chosen from Sb2O3 dispersed and Sb2O3 slurried in water.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein in step (b), a compound of Me is precipitated on a surface of the electrode active material provided in step (a).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein step (d) includes a calcination step at a maximum temperature ranging from 300° C. to 700° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1 wherein step (d) includes a drying step at a maximum temperature ranging from 40° C. to 250° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein TM is chosen from Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2, Ni0.7Co0.2Mn0.1, Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1, Ni0.89Co0.055Al0.055, Ni0.9Co0.045Al0.045, and Ni0.85Co0.1Mn0.05.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein in step (b), the amounts of aqueous formulation and electrode active material have a weight ratio ranging from 2:1 to 1:2.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous formulation is in the form of a dispersion or slurry.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-containing atmosphere is air, oxygen-enriched air, or pure oxygen.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the compound of Me has an average particle diameter (D50) in a range of 2 μm to 5 μm dispersed in water.