Nickel-containing composite hydroxide and production process therefor, positive-electrode active material for a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery and production process therefor, and nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery

Abstract

Provided is a nickel-containing composite hydroxide that is a precursor of a positive-electrode active material with which a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery having a low irreversible capacity and a high energy density can be configured. An aqueous alkaline aqueous solution and a complexing agent are added to an mixed aqueous solution including at least nickel and cobalt to regulate the pH (measured at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C.) of this mixed aqueous solution to 11.0 to 13.0, the ammonium concentration to 4 to 15 g/L, and the reaction temperature to 20° C. to 45° C. Using stirring blades having an inclination angle of 20° to 60° with respect to a horizontal plane, the mixture is stirred to conduct a crystallization reaction under such conditions that when the nickel-containing composite hydroxide to be obtained is roasted in air at 800° C. for 2 hours, the roasted composite hydroxide has a BET value of 12 to 50 m2/g. Thus a nickel-containing composite hydroxide expressed by Ni1−x−yCoxAlyMt(OH)2+α (where, 0<x≦0.20, 0<y≦0.15, 0≦t≦0.10, 0≦α 0.50, and M is one or more kind of element selected from among Mg, Ca, Ba, Nb, Mo, V, Ti, Zr and Y), or the general formula: Ni1−x−zCoxMnzMt(OH)2+α (where 0<x≦0.50, 0<z≦0.50, x+z≦0.70, 0≦t≦0.10, 0≦α≦0.50, and M is one or more kind of element selected from among Mg, Ca, Ba, Nb, Mo, V, Ti, Zr and Y) is obtained.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.