Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, Ltd.

Rei Kokado

Kensaku Mori

Shin Imaizumi

Tetsutaro Hayashi

Masanori Takagi

Tomoko Nakayama

Mori Kensaku

Disclosed are: nickel complex hydroxide particles that have small and uniform particle diameters; and a method by which the nickel complex hydroxide particles can be produced. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing a nickel complex hydroxide by a crystallization reaction, which comprises: a nucleation step in which nucleation is carried out, while controlling an aqueous solution for nucleation containing an ammonium ion supplying material and a metal compound that contains nickel to have a pH of 12.0-13.4 at a liquid temperature of 25&#xb0; C.; and a particle growth step in which nuclei are grown, while controlling an aqueous solution for particle growth containing the nuclei, which have been formed in the nucleation step, to have a pH of 10.5-12.0 at a liquid temperature of 25&#xb0; C. In this connection, the pH in the particle growth step is controlled to be less than the pH in the nucleation step.

Nickel complex hydroxide particles and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

The purpose of the present invention is to easily provide at low cost, a cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which exhibits high particle strength and high weather resistance, while enabling achievement of excellent charge and discharge capacity and excellent output characteristics in cases where the cathode active material is used as a cathode material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A slurry of from 500 g/L to 2000 g/L is formed by adding water to a powder of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula (A): LiNiCoMO, where 0.10&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.20, 0&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.10, 0.97&#x2264;z&#x2264;1.20, and M represents at least one element selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al); the slurry is washed with water by stirring; and after filtration, the resulting material is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of from 120&#xb0; C. to 550&#xb0; C. (inclusive) in an oxygen atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 80% by volume or more.

Cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention provides a cathode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery with a high capacity, high stability and excellent output characteristics and a method for producing the same, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the cathode active material. The cathode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is represented by a general formula: LiNiCoAlTiOwherein 0.98&#x2264;t&#x2264;1.10, 0&#x3c;x&#x2264;0.30, 0.03&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.15, 0.001&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.03; and includes a hexagonal lithium-containing composite oxide with a layer structure of secondary particles having primary particles, in which a titanium-enriched layer is formed on a surface of the primary particles and/or a grain boundary between the primary particles. The titanium-enriched layer on the surface of the primary particles and/or a grain boundary between the primary particles serves as a lithium ion conductor, yielding smooth extraction and insertion of lithium ions. Accordingly, the secondary battery with a high capacity, high stability and excellent output characteristics can be produced when a positive electrode is formed with the lithium nickel composite oxide as a cathode active material.

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

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 method for producing nickel composite hydroxide particles may include: a first step of producing nuclei including primary particles by controlling the pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation, the aqueous solution for nucleation containing a metal compound having an atomic ratio of metals corresponding to an atomic ratio of metals in the nickel composite hydroxide particles and substantially not containing a metal complex ion-forming agent; and a second step of forming, on an outer surface of each of the nuclei, an outer shell portion including platy primary particles larger than primary particles of the nuclei by controlling the pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing the nuclei obtained in the nucleation step.

Nickel composite hydroxide particles and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

Provided is a method for manufacturing the positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, the method comprising: a first step, wherein an alkaline solution with a tungsten compound dissolved therein is added to and mixed with a lithium metal composite oxide powder represented by a general formula LizNi1&#x2014;x&#x2014;yCoxMyO2 (wherein, 0.10&#x2266;x&#x2266;0.35, 0&#x2266;y&#x2266;0.35, 0.97&#x2266;Z&#x2266;1.20, and M is at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al), including primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles, and thereby W is dispersed on a surface of the primary particles; and a second step, wherein, by heat treating the mixture of the alkaline solution with the tungsten compound dissolved therein and the lithium metal composite oxide powder, fine particles containing W and Li are formed on a surface of the primary particles.

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

The present invention aims to provide a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries which achieves high output and high capacity when used as a positive electrode material. Disclosed is a method for manufacturing the positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, the method comprising: a first step, wherein an alkaline solution with a tungsten compound dissolved therein is added to and mixed with a lithium metal composite oxide powder represented by a general formula LiNiCoMO(wherein, 0.10&#x2266;x&#x2266;0.35, 0&#x2266;y&#x2266;0.35, 0.97&#x2266;Z&#x2266;1.20, and M is at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al), including primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles, and thereby W is dispersed on a surface of the primary particles; and a second step, wherein, by heat treating the mixture of the alkaline solution with the tungsten compound dissolved therein and the lithium metal composite oxide powder, fine particles containing W and Li are formed on a surface of the primary particles.

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Niihama, Japan

Rei Kokado