Nickel-rich quaternary metal oxide materials as cathodes for lithium-ion polymer batteries
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsKaiyuan Yang, Kevin P. McGrath, Naveen Agarwal, Jaeho Kim
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Abstract
Positive electrode-active materials for use in lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries contain quaternary composite oxides of manganese, nickel, cobalt and aluminum where one of the four is present at levels of over 70 mol percent. The composite oxides can be lithiated to form positive electrode-active materials that are stable over at least ten charge/discharge cycles at voltage levels over 4.8 volts, and have capacities of over 200 mAh/g. Methods for producing the materials and electrochemical cells and batteries that include the materials are also provided.
Claims36
A positive electrode-active material comprising a composite oxide in a single phase having the general formula LixM1yM2zM3uM4wOn, where 0<x≦2, the sum of y+z+u+w is about 1 to 2, y, u and w are each greater than 0, and 2≦n≦4, where M1, M2, M3 and M4 are different and are selected from the group consisting of Ba, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Al, B, Si, Ga, Ge, N, P, As, Zr, Hf, Mo, W, Re, Ru, Rh, Pt, Ag, Os, Ir, Au, Sn, and lanthanides, and where one of M1, M2, M3 and M4 is present in an amount of at least about 70 mol percent of the combined M1, M2, M3 and M4.
A method of producing a positive electrode-active material comprising the steps:
- a. mixing salts of four different metals selected from the group consisting of Ba, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Al, B, Si, Ga, Ge, As, Zr, Hf, Mo, W, Re, Ru, Rh, Pt, Ag, Os, Ir, Au, Sn, and lanthanides, into solution in a liquid solvent;
- b. precipitating a homogeneous mixture of the four metals from the solution;
- c. adding lithium to the homogeneous precipitated mixture;
- and
- d. calcining the mixture of lithium and the four different metals in the presence of oxygen to form a lithiated composite oxide of the four metals.
An electrochemical cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte which electrochemically interconnects the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein the positive electrode comprises a composite oxide in a single phase having the general formula LixM2yM2zM3uM4wOn, where 0<x≦2, the sum of y+z+u+w is about 1 to 2, and 2≦n≦4, where M1, M2, M3 and M4 are different and are selected from the group consisting of Ba, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Al, B, Si, Ga, Ge, As, Zr, Hf, Mo, W, Re, Ru, Rh, Pt, Ag, Os, Ir, Au, Sn, and lanthanides, and where one of M1, M2, M3 and M4 is present in an amount of at least about 70 mol percent of the combined M1, M2, M3 and M4.
A lithium-ion battery comprising a sealable cell container, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolyte solution, a separator, a positive electrode current collector, and a negative electrode current collector, where the positive electrode comprises a composite oxide in a single phase having the general formula LixMnyNiyCouAlwO, where 0<x<2, the sum of y+z+u+w is about 1 to 2, and 2≦n≦4, and 0.7≦z/(y+z+u+w)<1.0.
A method of producing a positive electrode-active material that is a composite oxide of at least two metals, the method comprising the steps:
- (a) forming a mixture of the hydroxides of at least two metals selected from the group consisting of Ba, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Al, B, Si, Ga, Ge, As, Zr, Hf, Mo, W, Re, Ru, Rh, Pt, Ag, Os, Ir, Au, Sn, and lanthanides, where at least one of the metals is in its lowest oxidation state;
- (b) contacting the mixture with oxygen under conditions suitable for the further oxidation of at least some of the metal hydroxides;
- (c) adding lithium to the mixture;
- and
- (d) calcining the mixture in the presence of oxygen to form a lithiated composite oxide of the at least two metals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.