Hydrides of lithiated nickel dioxide and secondary cells prepared therefrom
AssigneeMoli Energy (1990) Limited
InventorUlrich Von Sacken
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Abstract
Hydrides of lithiated nickel dioxide are disclosed, prepared by providing a substantially homogeneous dry intermediate mixture of a starting material containing a nickel compound selected from nickel oxide, nickel hydroxide and mixtures thereof, and optionally including one or more oxides or hydroxides of a transition metal selected from cobalt, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese and vanadium, together with about a 25% stoichiometric excess of lithium hydroxide. The mixture is heat-treated at a temperature above about 600.degree. C. in an atmosphere having a partial pressure of water vapor greater than about two torr. Electrochemical cells are also disclosed, incorporating the disclosed hydrides as a cathode-active material.
Claims68
A hydride of lithiated nickel dioxide cathode-active material for an electrochemical cell, having a stoichiometric formula Li.sub.x-z H.sub.z Ni.sub.2-x-y M.sub.y O.sub.2, wherein x is between about 0.80 and about 1.00, M is one or more metals selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese and vanadium, y is less than about 0.2, with the proviso that y is less than about 0.5 for cobalt, and z is less than about 0.3.
A method of making a hydride of lithiated nickel dioxide suitable for use as a cathode-active material in an electrochemical cell, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially homogeneous dry intermediate mixture of a starting material comprising a nickel compound selected from the group consisting of nickel oxide, nickel hydroxide and mixtures thereof, together with up to about a 25% stoichiometric excess of lithium hydroxide;
- and
- heat treating said mixture at a temperature between about 600.degree. and about 700.degree. C. in an atmosphere having a partial pressure of water vapor greater than about two torr.
A method of making a hydride of lithiated nickel dioxide suitable for use as a cathode-active material in an electrochemical cell, said method comprising rinsing with water lithiated nickel dioxide having the formula Li.sub.x-z H.sub.z Ni.sub.2-x-y M.sub.y O.sub.2 wherein x is between about 0.80 and about 1.00, M is one or more metals selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese and vanadium, y is less than about 0.2, with the proviso that y is less than bout 0.5 for cobalt, and z is less than about 0.30, and recovering said rinsed lithiated nickel dioxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.