Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, Ltd.

Masanori Takagi

Kensaku Mori

Hiroko Oshita

Haruki Kaneda

Tetsutaro Hayashi

Ryozo Ushio

Rei Kokado

Tomoko Nakayama

Kazuomi Ryoshi

Tetsufumi Komukai

Koji Yamaji

Takehide Honma

Isao Ando

Toshio Morimoto

Tatsuya Takahashi

Kenji Tashiro

Eriko Sato

Hirotaka Minami

There is provided a cathode active material precursor for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that is a complex metal hydroxide with a flow factor of 10 or greater to 20 or smaller.

Cathode active material precursor for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

Provided is a method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that achieves both high thermal stability and high charge/discharge capacity and has excellent cycle characteristics and an easy and safe production method thereof, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the positive electrode active material. A method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes a crystallization step of adding an alkaline aqueous solution to a mixed aqueous solution containing at least nickel and cobalt for crystallization to obtain a nickel-containing hydroxide represented by a general formula NiCOM(OH), a mixing step of mixing the obtained nickel-containing hydroxide, a lithium compound, and a niobium compound to obtain a lithium mixture, and a firing step of firing the lithium mixture in an oxidative atmosphere at 700 to 840&#xb0; C. to obtain a lithium-transition metal composite oxide.

Positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and production method thereof, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a positive-electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that is capable of achieving both a high capacity and a high output. This positive-electrode active material contains a lithium-nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula: LiNiCoMOwherein M represents at least one element selected from Al, Ti, Mn and W, b is 0.95&#x2264;b&#x2264;1.03, x is 0&#x3c;x&#x2264;0.15, y is 0&#x3c;y&#x2264;0.07, and x and y is x+y&#x2264;0.16, wherein c-axis length of the lithium-nickel composite oxide is 14.185 angstrom or greater as determined by a Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction.

Positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, process for producing the positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

A nickel composite hydroxide containing reduced amounts of sulfate radicals and chlorine as impurities. The nickel composite hydroxide is represented by NiCoAl(OH)(0.05&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.01&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.2, x+y&#x3c;0.4, and 0&#x2264;&#x3b1;&#x3c;0.5), and includes spherical secondary particles formed by aggregation of plurality of plate-shaped primary particles, secondary particles have an average particle diameter of 3-20 &#x3bc;m, sulfate radical content of 1.0 mass % or less, chlorine content of 0.5 mass % or less, and carbonate radical content of 1.0-2.5 mass %. The nickel composite hydroxide is obtained by a process including a crystallization step in which crystallization is performed in reaction solution obtained by adding alkali solution to aqueous solution containing mixed aqueous solution containing nickel and cobalt, ammonium ion supplier, and aluminum source. The alkali solution is mixed aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide and carbonate, and ratio of carbonate to alkali metal hydroxide in mixed aqueous solution represented by [C0]/[OH]=0.002 or more but 0.050 or less.

Nickel composite hydroxide and process for producing same

Provided is a positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, the positive-electrode material being capable of achieving both high capacity and high output when used for a positive electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries. Also, provided is a method for manufacturing the positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, wherein a lithium metal composite oxide powder is mixed with lithium tungstate, the lithium metal composite oxide powder being represented by a general formula LiNiCoMO(wherein 0.10&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.35, 0&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.35, 0.97&#x2264;z&#x2264;1.20, and M is an addition element and at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al) and comprising primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles.

Positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, method for manufacturing the same, and nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery using said positive-electrode material

A positive electrode active material is provided that has a high capacity, a low irreversible capacity, an excellent initial charge/discharge efficiency, and excellent rate characteristics. This positive electrode active material comprises a hexagonal lithium nickel complex oxide having a layer structure and represented by the general formula LiNiCoMO(0.98&#x2264;x&#x2264;1.04, 0.25&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.40, 0&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.07, and M is at least one element selected from Al, Ti, Mn, Ga, Mg, and Nb), wherein a lithium occupancy rate in a lithium main layer as obtained by Rietveld analysis from the x-ray diffraction pattern is at least 98.7%, and a crystallite diameter as calculated from the peak for the (003) plane in x-ray diffraction is 50 to 300 nm.

Positive electrode active substance for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell, method for producing same, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell using positive electrode active substance

A method for manufacturing a positive active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having both thermal stability and charge-discharge capacity at a high level as well as excellent cycle characteristics. The method for manufacturing a positive active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: a step of adding a niobium salt solution and an acid simultaneously to a slurry of a nickel-containing hydroxide, and controlling the pH of the slurry at between 7 and 11 on a 25&#xb0; C. basis to obtain a nickel-containing hydroxide coated with a niobium compound; a step of mixing the nickel-containing hydroxide coated with the niobium compound with a lithium compound to obtain a lithium mixture; and a step of firing the lithium mixture in an oxidizing atmosphere at 700&#xb0; C. to 830&#xb0; C. to obtain a lithium-transition metal composite oxide.

Method for producing positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using same

Provided are a method for producing a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder, by which a high quality Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder to be produced readily; a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder; a method for producing a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target; and a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target. Specifically, a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder is produced by stirring a mixed powder containing a Cu powder and a Ga in a mass ratio of 85:15 to 55:45 at a temperature of 30 to 700&#xb0; C. in an inert atmosphere thereby accomplishing alloying. Also a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target is produced by molding the Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder followed by sintering.

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Niihama, Japan

Masanori Takagi