# US 12,119,485 B2 · Cathode with coated disordered rocksalt material

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,119,485 B2
- Document ID: US12119485B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/684,021
- Filed: 2022-08-26
- Published: 2024-09-05
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-31
- Assignees: Wildcat Discovery Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Wildcat Discovery Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Tanghong Yi; Bin Li; Sun-Ho Kang; Yunguang Zhu; Han Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119485B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/366: {as layered products}
- H01M 4/0471: {involving thermal treatment, e.g. firing, sintering, backing particulate active material, thermal decomposition, pyrolysis}
- H01M 4/485: of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy (H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence)
- H01M 4/5825: {Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines}
- H01M 4/625: {Carbon or graphite}
- H01M 2004/028: {Positive electrodes}
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

## Abstract

A cathode includes a disordered rocksalt phase material and a coating layer disposed on a surface of the disordered rocksalt phase material. The coating layer may include one or more of an oxide, a phosphate, a phosphide, or a fluoride.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cathode comprising:
a disordered rocksalt phase material, and
a coating layer disposed on a surface of the disordered rocksalt phase material, the coating layer comprising one or more of a titanium oxide, a lithium metal phosphate, lithium phosphate, a lithium metal oxide, a phosphide and a fluoride.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein the disordered rocksalt phase material is represented by chemical formula (i):
LixNyMzOb-aFa (i)
where 1.0<x<1.65; 0≤y<0.55; 0.1<z<1; 0≤a<0.8; 1≤b≤3; N is one of Nb, Ti, Ta, Zr, W, Sb, or Mo; and M is one of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Zr, Y, Mo, Ru, Rh, or Sb.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cathode of claim 2, wherein b=2.

### Claim 4

The cathode of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating layer is present at no less than 0.05 wt. % and no greater than 10 wt. % relative to a combined weight of the disordered rocksalt phase material and the coating layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cathode of claim 4, wherein the coating layer is present from 1 to 5 wt. % relative to the combined weight of the disordered rocksalt phase material and the coating layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein the coating layer comprises one or more of LiAlO2, Li3Al2(PO4)3, Li3PO4, Li3P and Li2TiO3, TiO2.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The cathode of claim 6, wherein the coating layer is comprised of Li3PO4 and Li3P.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein the phosphide is a lithium metal phosphide, lithium phosphide or combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The cathode of claim 8, wherein the metal of the lithium metal phosphate and lithium metal phosphide is a transition metal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cathode of claim 9, wherein said metal is a metal present in the disordered rocksalt.

### Claim 11

A method for forming a cathode, the method comprising:
mixing a disordered rocksalt phase material with one or more coating precursors to form a mixture, the one or more coating precursors comprising one or more of Al(CH3CO2)3, a phosphate that decomposes during annealing to form a lithium phosphate or lithium metal phosphate, a lithium phosphide, lithium metal phosphide and TiO2; and
annealing the mixture to form a coated disordered rocksalt powder that has a coating layer disposed on a surface of the disordered rocksalt phase material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more coating precursor is comprised of one or more of a phosphate that decomposes during annealing to form a lithium phosphate or lithium metal phosphate, a lithium phosphide, lithium metal phosphide and TiO2 and the phosphate decomposes to form Li3PO4.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the phosphate decomposes to form phosphine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein during annealing phosphine is present.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the phosphine reacts to form a phosphide.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the coating layer that is formed comprises one or more of LiAlO2, Li3Al2(PO4)3, AlPO4, Li3PO4, Li3P, and Li2TiO3, TiO2.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the annealing includes heating the mixture at a temperature no less than 200° C. and no greater than 800° C. for a duration no less than 0.5 hours and no more than 24 hours.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the annealing includes heating the mixture in an inert gas.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising milling the coated disordered rocksalt powder with one or more carbon precursors after the annealing to produce a cathode active material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the carbon precursor is comprised of carbon nanotubes.