# US 8,568,917 B2 · Material for contact components or battery components, and battery using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,568,917 B2 - Document ID: US8568917B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/304,277 - Filed: 2007-06-11 - Published: 2009-12-31 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-06-12 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation; Katayama Special Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Takuyuki Okano; Toshihiko Ikehata; Misao Iguchi; Keiichi Hayashi - Inventors: Takuyuki Okano; Toshihiko Ikehata; Misao Iguchi; Keiichi Hayashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8568917B2 ## CPC - C23C 18/32: Coating with nickel, cobalt or mixtures thereof with phosphorus or boron (C23C18/50 takes precedence) - C23C 18/38: Coating with copper - C23C 18/42: Coating with noble metals - C23C 18/54: Contact plating, i.e. electroless electrochemical plating - H01M 4/661: {Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence)} - H01M 50/128: with two or more layers of only inorganic material - H01M 50/545: formed by the casing of the cells (cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56) - H01M 6/16: with organic electrolyte (H01M6/18 takes precedence) - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y10T 428/12063: Nonparticulate metal component - Y10T 428/1209: Plural particulate metal components - Y10T 428/12972: Containing 0.01-1.7% carbon [i.e., steel] - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A material for contact components or battery components, which includes a metal sheet having a surface layer portion containing a first metal element, the metal sheet including a Cr-containing steel plate or a surface-treated steel plate, and at least a part of the first metal element on an outermost surface of the surface layer portion being substituted by a second metal element having a nobler standard electrode potential than the first metal element, the second metal element being deposited on the outermost surface in a state of a particulate metal, oxide, or hydroxide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A material for contact components or battery components, the material comprising a metal sheet having a surface layer portion containing a first metal element, wherein said metal sheet comprises a Cr-containing steel plate or a surface-treated steel plate, at least a part of said first metal element on an outermost surface of said surface layer portion is substituted by a second metal element having a nobler standard electrode potential than said first metal element, and said second metal element is deposited on said outermost surface in a state of a particulate metal, oxide, or hydroxide, an amount of the second metal element deposited on the outermost surface of the metal sheet is 5 to 50 mg/m2, said second metal element contains: a first group element, being at least one selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, Ag, and Au; and a second group element, being at least one selected from the group consisting of In, Co, and Cu, and the first group and second group elements are both deposited on and in direct contact with the outermost surface of the metal sheet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 1, wherein said Cr-containing steel plate comprises a stainless steel plate, and said first metal element is iron. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surface-treated steel plate comprises a stainless steel plate having a plated layer or a cold-rolled steel plate having a plated layer, said plated layer containing said first metal element, and, said first metal element being at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Sn, and Cu. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 1, wherein particles containing said first group element are dispersed on said outermost surface, and said second group element is deposited between said particles. ### Claim 5 A lithium battery comprising: a positive electrode case; a positive electrode housed in said positive electrode case; a negative electrode case; a negative electrode housed in said negative electrode case; a separator interposed between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte with lithium ion conductivity, said positive electrode case comprising a metal sheet having a surface layer portion containing a first metal element, said metal sheet comprising a Cr-containing steel plate or a surface-treated steel plate, said surface layer portion being in contact with said positive electrode, and at least a part of said first metal element on an outermost surface of said surface layer portion being substituted by a second metal element having a nobler standard electrode potential than said first metal element, said second metal element being deposited on said outermost surface in a state of a particulate metal, oxide or hydroxide, an amount of the second metal element deposited on the outermost surface of the metal sheet is 5 to 50 mg/m2, said second metal element contains: a first group element, being at least one selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, Ag, and Au; and a second group element, being at least one selected from the group consisting of In, Co, and Cu, and the first group and second group elements are both deposited on and in direct contact with the outermost surface of the metal sheet. ### Claim 6 A method for producing a material for contact components or battery components, comprising the step of bringing a surface layer portion of a metal sheet having said surface layer portion containing a first metal element into contact with an aqueous solution containing an ion of a second metal element, so that at least a part of said first metal element existing on said surface layer portion is substituted by said second metal element, wherein said metal sheet comprises a Cr-containing steel plate or a surface-treated steel plate, said second metal element has a nobler standard electrode potential than said first metal element, an amount of the second metal element deposited on the outermost surface of the metal sheet is 5 to 50 mg/m2, said second metal element contains: a first group element, being at least one selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, Ag, and Au; and a second group element, being at least one selected from the group consisting of In, Co, and Cu, and the first group and second group elements are both deposited on and in direct contact with the outermost surface of the metal sheet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method for producing a material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 6, wherein said surface layer portion, before brought into contact with said solution containing an ion of said second metal element, is brought into contact with an acid solution. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 1, wherein an amount of the second metal element deposited on the outermost surface of the metal sheet is 5 to 30 mg/m2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second metal element is deposited on said outermost surface in a state of a particulate metal or oxide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The material for contact components or battery components in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the first group element is deposited on said outermost surface in a state of a particulate-metal, and the second group element is deposited on said outermost surface in a state of a particulate oxide.