Microgranulation methods and product particles therefrom
AssigneeNovonix Battery Technology Solutions Inc.
InventorsMark Obrovac, Lituo Zheng, Matthew Garayt
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Abstract
Simple, material-efficient microgranulation methods are disclosed for aggregating precursor particles into larger product particles with improved properties and, in some instances, novel structures. The product particles are useful in applications requiring uniform, smooth, spherical, or rounded particles such as for electrode materials in lithium batteries and other applications.
Claims35
A microgranulation method of aggregating precursor particles comprising:
- obtaining an amount of precursor particles having an average particle size less than 1000 μm;
- obtaining an amount of templating media having a hardness greater than that of the precursor particles;
- preparing a mixture comprising the amounts of precursor particles and templating media;
- dry mixing the mixture in a chamber with a blade that rotates relative to a chamber wall thereby aggregating the precursor particles into product particles;
- and
- separating the product particles from the templating media after aggregating the precursor particles into product particles;
- wherein the rotational speed is about 8 m/s or greater.
A method of making lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide particulate with an O3 structure and an average particle size ranging from 1 to 50 μm, the method comprising:
- obtaining an amount of raw material powder comprising nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium, wherein the raw material powder has an average particle size less than 1000 μm;
- obtaining an amount of templating media having a hardness greater than that of the precursor particles;
- preparing a mixture comprising the amounts of raw material powder and templating media;
- mixing the mixture in a chamber with a blade that rotates relative to a chamber wall thereby aggregating the raw material powder into product particles, wherein the rotational speed is about 8 m/s or greater;
- separating the product particles from the templating media after aggregating the raw material powder into product particles;
- and
- heating the product particles in an oxygen containing atmosphere to produce the lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide particulate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.