Oxidative delithiation of alkali nickel oxide

Abstract

Provided are methods of preparing an electrochemically active cathode material including the steps of combining an alkali metal-containing nickel oxide having a formula A1−aNi1+aO2, wherein A comprises an alkali metal and 0<a≤0.2, with a fluid composition including an oxidant comprising a peroxydisulfate salt, a monopersulfate salt, or a combination thereof to form a mixture, heating the mixture to a temperature of 50° C. or greater; and maintaining the mixture at the temperature for at least a period of time sufficient to form an alkali metal-deficient nickel oxide electrochemically active cathode material having a general formula AxHyNi1+aO2·nH2O, wherein A comprises an alkali metal; 0.08≤x<0.2; 0≤y<0.3; 0.02≤a≤0.2; and 0<n<2.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.