Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, Ltd.

Mitsuru Yamauchi

Kazuomi Ryoshi

Kensaku Mori

Tetsufumi Komukai

Ryozo Ushio

Jun Yokoyama

Yuki Furuichi

Tomoko Nakayama

Tai Ito

Shuzo Ozawa

A nickel composite hydroxide includes nickel, cobalt, manganese, and an element M with an atomic ratio of Ni:Co:Mn:M=1−x1−y1−z1:x1:y1:z1 (wherein M is at least one element selected from a group consisting of a transition metal element other than Ni, Co, Mn, a II group element, and a XIII group element, 0.15≤0.25, 0.15≤y1≤0.25, 0≤z1≤0.1), the nickel composite hydroxide having a cobalt or manganese rich layer from a surface of a particle of the secondary particles toward an inside of the secondary particles and a layered low-density layer between the cobalt or manganese rich layer and a center of the particle of the secondary particles, and a thickness of the cobalt or manganese rich layer and low-density layer is 1% or more and 10% or less to a diameter of the secondary particles.

Nickel composite hydroxide, method for producing nickel composite hydroxide, positive electrode active material for lithium ion secondary battery, method for producing positive electrode active material for lithium ion secondary battery, and lithium ion secondary battery

A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that can achieve a high output characteristic and a high battery capacity when used in a positive electrode of a battery and that can achieve a high electrode density, and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that uses such a positive electrode active material and can achieve a high capacity and a high output. A lithium-manganese-cobalt composite oxide includes plate-shaped secondary particles each obtained by aggregation of a plurality of plate-shaped primary particles caused by overlapping of plate surfaces of the plate-shaped primary particles, wherein a shape of the primary particles is any one of a spherical, elliptical, oval, or a planar projected shape of a block-shaped object, and the secondary particles have an aspect ratio of 3 to 20 and a volume-average particle size (Mv) of 4 &#x3bc;m to 20 &#x3bc;m as measured by a laser diffraction scattering process.

Manganese-cobalt composite hydroxide and process for producing same, positive electrode active material and process for producing same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery achieves high output characteristics and battery capacity, and allows a high electrode density to be achieved in the case of using the material for a positive electrode of a battery; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery uses the positive electrode active material, thereby achieving a high output with a high capacity. Prepared is a nickel composite hydroxide including plate-shaped secondary particles aggregated with overlaps between plate surfaces of multiple plate-shaped primary particles, where shapes projected from directions perpendicular to the plate surfaces of the plate-shaped primary particles are any plane projection shape of spherical, elliptical, oblong, and massive shapes, and the secondary particles have an aspect ratio of 3 to 20, and a volume average particle size (Mv) of 4 &#x3bc;m to 20 &#x3bc;m measured by a laser diffraction scattering method.

Nickel composite hydroxide and process for producing same, positive electrode active material and process for producing same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

Provided is a positive electrode active material that has high output characteristics and battery capacity when used for a positive electrode of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and can inhibit gelation of positive electrode mixture paste. A method for producing the positive electrode active material is also provided. A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery contains a lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese composite oxide represented by General Formula (1): LiNiCoMnBM1Oand having a hexagonal layered crystal structure. The lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese composite oxide contains a secondary particle formed of a plurality of flocculated primary particles and a boron compound containing lithium present at least on part of surfaces of the primary particles. A water-soluble Li amount present on the surfaces of the primary particles is up to 0.1% by mass relative to the entire amount of the positive electrode active material.

Positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, method for producing the same, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing the positive electrode active material

A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with improved cycle characteristics and high temperature storage characteristics, without impairing an advantage of high capacity which lithium nickel composite oxide inherently possesses. The positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes lithium nickel composite oxide represented by a general formula (1): LiNiCoMnMgO(However, u, x, y and z in the formula satisfies 0.015&#x2264;u&#x2264;0.030, 0.05&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.20, 0.01&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.10, 0.01&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.05, 0.10&#x2264;x+y+z&#x2264;0.25.), and wherein crystallite diameter is 100 nm to 130 nm. In addition, the positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is produced at least by an oxidation roasting step, a mixing step, and a calcining step.

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

Obtaining cobalt hydroxide particles having a high filling property and a high density. The cobalt hydroxide particles used as a precursor for a positive electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including spherical secondary particles of flocculated primary particles, wherein average aspect ratio of the secondary particles is 0.7 or more, average particle diameter is 5 to 35 &#x3bc;m, and a value of (d90&#x2212;d10)/MV indicating a dispersion of a particle size distribution is 0.6 or less, wherein, in sectional observation of the secondary particles, a ratio (N/L) of number (N) of gaps with maximum long diameter 0.3 &#x3bc;m or more recognized in particles of the secondary particles with sectional long diameter 3 &#x3bc;m or more to sectional long diameter (L) of the secondary particles is 1.0 or less, and also, maximum long diameter of the gaps is 15% or less of sectional long diameter of the secondary particles.

Cobalt hydroxide particles and manufacturing process therefor and positive electrode active material and manufacturing process therefor

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including primary particles of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the formula: LiNiCoMOwherein M represents at least one element selected from Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Nb, Zr and Mo; b represents a number satisfying 0.95&#x2264;b&#x2264;1.03; and x represents a number satisfying 0&#x3c;x&#x2264;0.15 and y represents a number satisfying 0&#x3c;y&#x2264;0.07, wherein the sum total of x and y is 0.16 or smaller, i.e., x+y&#x2264;0.16) and secondary particles that are aggregates of the primary particles, wherein microparticles containing W and Li are present on the surface of each of the primary particles, and the length of axis-c of the lithium nickel composite oxide is 14.183 angstroms or more as determined by a Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction data on the oxide.

Positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and method for producing same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery manufactured using said positive electrode active material

Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency. When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.6, after which, while keeping the amount of slurry constant and continuously removing only the liquid component, the crystallization reaction is continued until the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of the nickel composite hydroxide becomes 8.0 &#x3bc;m to 50.0 &#x3bc;m.

Nickel composite hydroxide and production method thereof, cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and production method thereof, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.6, after which, while keeping the amount of slurry constant and continuously removing only the liquid component, the crystallization reaction is continued until the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of the nickel composite hydroxide becomes 8.0 &#x3bc;m to 50.0 &#x3bc;m.

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Ehime, Japan

Mitsuru Yamauchi