Umicore

Umicore Korea, Ltd.

Umicore, S.a.

Eric Robert

Jens M Paulsen

Daniël Nelis

Jin Hu

Tjakko Zijlema

Randy De Palma

HeonPyo Hong

Dae-Hyun Kim

Liang Zhu

JinDoo Oh

Dirk Vanhoutte

Joris Vandenhaute

Heonpyo Hong

A crystalline precursor compound for manufacturing a lithium transition metal based oxide powder usable as an active positive electrode material in lithium-ion batteries, the precursor having a general formula M(O)(OH)(CO), with 0&#x3c;x&#x2264;1, 0&#x3c;y&#x3c;0.03 and M=NiMnCoA. A being a dopant, with 0.30&#x2264;a&#x3c;0.90, 0.10&#x2264;b&#x3c;0.40, 0.10&#x2264;c&#x3c;0.40, d&#x3c;0.05 and a+b+c+d=1, the precursor having a Na content less than 200 ppm, a S content less than 250 ppm, the precursor having a specific surface area with a BET value expressed in m/g and a tap density TD expressed in g/cm, with a ratio BET/TD&#x3e;30.10cm/g.

Precursors for cathode material with improved secondary battery performance and method to prepare the precursors

This invention relates to an industrial process of manufacturing hydroxide precursor for lithium transition metal oxide used in secondary lithium ion batteries. More particularly, this process utilizes highly concentrated nitrate salts and is designed to mitigate waste production.

Nitrate process for manufacturing transition metal hydroxide precursors

A method for producing a M-carbonate precursor of a Li-M oxide cathode material in a continuous reactor, wherein M=NixMnyCozAn, A being a dopant, with x&#x3e;0, y&#x3e;0, 0&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.35, 0&#x2264;n&#x2264;0.02 and x+y+z+n=1, the method comprising the steps of: &#x2014;providing a feed solution comprising Ni-, Mn-, Co- and A-ions, and having a molar metal content M&#x2033; feed, &#x2014;providing an ionic solution comprising either one or both of a carbonate and a bicarbonate solution, the ionic solution further comprising either one or both of Na- and K-ions, &#x2014;providing a slurry comprising seeds comprising M'-ions and having a molar metal content M&#x2032; seeds, wherein M&#x2032;=Nix&#x2032;Mny&#x2032;Coz&#x2032;A&#x2032;n&#x2032;, A&#x2032; being a dopant, with 0&#x2264;x&#x2032;&#x2264;1, 0&#x2264;y&#x2032;&#x2264;1, 0&#x2264;z&#x2032;&#x2264;1, 0&#x2264;n&#x2032;&#x2264;1 and x&#x2032;+y&#x2032;+z&#x2032;+n&#x2032;=1, and wherein the molar ratio M&#x2032; seeds/M&#x2033; feed is between 0.001 and 0.1, &#x2014;mixing the feed solution, the ionic solution and the slurry in the reactor, thereby obtaining a reactive liquid mixture, &#x2014;precipitating a carbonate onto the seeds in the reactive liquid mixture, thereby obtaining a reacted liquid mixture and the M-carbonate precursor, and &#x2014;separating the M-carbonate precursor from the reacted liquid mixture.

Carbonate precursors for lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide cathode material and the method of making same

The invention relates to the manufacture of high purity silicon as a base material for the production of e.g. crystalline silicon solar cells. SiCU is converted to Si metal by contacting gaseous SiCU with liquid Zn, thereby obtaining a Si-bearing alloy and Zn-chloride, which is separated. The Si-bearing alloy is then purified at a temperature above the boiling point of Zn. This process does not require complicated technologies and preserves the high purity of the SiCU towards the end product, as the only reactant is Zn, which can be obtained in very high purity grades and continuously recycled.

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The invention relates to the manufacture of high purity germanium for the manufacture of e.g. infra red optics, radiation detectors and electronic devices. GeClis converted to Ge metal by contacting gaseous GeClwith a liquid metal M containing one of Zn, Na and Mg, thereby obtaining a Ge-bearing alloy and a metal M chloride, which is removed by evaporation or skimming. The Ge-bearing alloy is then purified at a temperature above the boiling point of metal M. This process does not require complicated technologies and preserves the high purity of the GeClin the final Ge metal, as the only reactant is metal M, which can be obtained in very high purity grades and continuously recycled.

Process for the production of ZnClfrom a Zn bearing primary and/or secondary material comprising the steps of reacting the Zn bearing material with a chlorinating agent such as Clto convert metals into chlorides and vaporising the volatile components of the reaction product at a temperature between the melting point of said reaction product and the boiling point of ZnCl, thereby recovering a Zn rich chlorinated melt, and thereafter distilling ZnClfrom this Zn rich chlorinated melt, thereby recovering purified ZnCland a Zn-depleted chlorinated melt.

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Liège, Belgium

Eric Robert