Transition metal composite hydroxide capable of serving as precursor of positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, method for producing same, positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, method for producing positive electrode active material, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using positive electrode active material

A transition metal composite hydroxide represented by a general formula (1) MxWsAt(OH)2+α (wherein, x+s+t=1, 0<s≦0.05, 0<s+t≦0.15, 0≦α≦0.5, M is at least one transition metal selected from Ni, Co and Mn, and A is at least one additive element selected from transition metal elements other than M and W, group 2 elements, and group 13 elements) and serving as a precursor of a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, wherein

• the transition metal composite hydroxide is a secondary particle having a substantially spherical shape and composed of aggregation of a plurality of primary particles,
• the secondary particle has an average particle diameter of 3 to 7 μm and an index indicating a scale of particle-size distribution, [(d90−d10)/average-particle-diameter], of not more than 0.55, and
• a coating material containing a metal oxide of tungsten and the additive element or a metal hydroxide of tungsten and the additive element is formed on surfaces of the secondary particles.