Synthesis of Cathode Active Materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a lithium vanadium phosphate material comprising forming a aqueous slurry (in which some of the components are at least partially dissolved) comprising a polymeric material, an acidic phosphate anion source, a lithium compound, V2O5 and a source of carbon; wet blending said slurry, spray drying said slurry to form a precursor composition; and heating said precursor composition to produce a lithium vanadium phosphate. In one embodiment the present invention relates to a method for preparing a lithium vanadium phosphate which comprises reacting vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) to form a partially dissolved slurry; then mixing with an aqueous solution containing lithium hydroxide; adding a polymeric material and a source of carbon to form a slurry; wet blending said slurry; spray drying said slurry to form a precursor composition; and heating said precursor composition for a time and at a temperature sufficient to produce a lithium vanadium phosphate compound. In an alternative embodiment the present invention relates to a method for preparing a lithium vanadium phosphate which comprises preparing an aqueous solution of lithium hydroxide; partially dissolving vanadium pentoxide in said aqueous solution; adding phosphoric acid to the aqueous solution; adding a polymeric material and a source of carbon to the solution containing vanadium pentoxide to form a slurry; spray drying said slurry to form a precursor composition; and heating said precursor composition for a time and at a temperature sufficient to form a lithium vanadium phosphate. The electrochemically active lithium vanadium phosphate so produced is useful in making electrodes and batteries.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.