US 9,960,424 B2Granted

Positive electrode materials for high discharge capacity lithium ion batteries

AssigneeZenlabs Energy, Inc.

InventorsHerman Lopez, Subramanian Venkatachalam, Sujeet Kumar, Deepak Kumaar K. Karthikeyan

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Abstract

Positive electrode active materials are described that have a high tap density and high specific discharge capacity upon cycling at room temperature and at a moderate discharge rate. Some materials of interest have the formula Li1+xNiαMnβCoγO2, where x ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.25, α ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.4, β ranges from about 0.4 to about 0.65, and γ ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.3. The materials can be coated with a metal fluoride to improve the performance of the materials especially upon cycling. Also, the coated materials can exhibit a very significant decrease in the irreversible capacity lose upon the first charge and discharge of the battery.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for the synthesis of a layered lithium metal oxide composition, the method comprising,

precipitating a mixed metal carbonate composition from a solution wherein the mixed metal carbonate composition has a selected composition, the precipitating step comprising the gradual combination under stirred conditions with a maintained pH from about 6.0 to about 7.45, of an aqueous metal ion solution comprising dissolved +2 metal cations and an aqueous carbonate solution comprising a dissolved carbonate composition, wherein the aqueous carbonate solution comprises sodium carbonate and ammonium hydroxide;
drying the mixed metal carbonate composition while heating in an oxygen free atmosphere for about 4 hours to about 12 hours before heating the carbonate composition to form the corresponding metal oxide composition;
mixing a lithium source in powder form comprising lithium carbonate with the mixed metal carbonate composition to form a mixture;
heating the mixture of the lithium source and the mixed metal carbonate composition in an oxygen containing atmosphere to a temperature from about 400° C. to about 800° C. to form a metal oxide composition;
and
heating the metal oxide composition in an oxygen containing atmosphere to a temperature from about 700° C. to about 1200° C. to form a crystalline layered lithium metal oxide composition, which is lithium rich relative to a LiMO2 reference composition where M represents non-lithium metal cations.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/848,316Filed 21 Mar 2013 · continuation
Priority: 11 Dec 2008
Published: US 2013/0216701 A122 Aug 2013
Granted: 1 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H01M 4/525
Of nickel, cobalt or iron: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g.…
H01M 4/131
Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof: electrodes based on…
H01M 4/136
Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof: electrodes based on…
H01M 4/139
Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof: processes of manufacture

Family

Application12/332,735Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Dec 2008
US 2013/0216701 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Aug 2013
US 8,465,873 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2010/0151332 A1Published application
US 9,960,424 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.