Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, Ltd.

Ryozo Ushio

Koji Yamaji

Takehide Honma

Yoshitomo Ozaki

Osamu Nakai

Haruki Kaneda

Taira Aida

Mitsuru Yamauchi

Keisuke Shibayama

Masanori Takagi

Hirofumi Shoji

Atsushi Idegami

Kazunari Maeba

Hiroshi Kobayashi

Yuji Aoki

Yoshinori Suzuki

Kensaku Mori

Kazuomi Ryoshi

Takao Suzuki

Tetsufumi Komukai

Hiroko Oshita

Jiro Okada

Takaaki Ando

Satoshi Yoshio

Naoko Kikuta

Iichi Nakamura

Ryoichi Nakayama

Yuji Imaizumi

Masayuki Hisatsune

Akio Takatsu

Shuzo Ozawa

Koji Sasaki

Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that improves the cycling characteristic and high-temperature storability without impairing the charge/discharge capacity and the output characteristics. A nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide is obtained by using a batch type crystallization method in which a raw material aqueous solution that includes Ni, Co and Mg is supplied in an inert atmosphere to a reaction aqueous solution that is controlled so that the temperature is within the range 45° C. to 55° C., the pH value is within the range 10.8 to 11.8 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C., and the ammonium-ion concentration is within the range 8 g/L to 12 g/L. An Al-coated composite hydroxide that is expressed by the general formula: NiCoAlMg(OH)(where, 0.05≤x≤0.20, 0.01≤y≤0.06, and 0.01≤z≤0.03) is obtained by mixing a slurry that includes the nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide with a coating aqueous solution that includes Al to form a mixed aqueous solution, and coating the secondary particles with a coating film that includes Al or an Al compound. A cathode active material that is configured so that component elements that include Al are uniformly dispersed in the secondary particles is synthesized using the Al-coated composite hydroxide as a precursor.

Aluminum-coated nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide and method for manufacturing same, cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and method for manufacturing same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and production method thereof that are able to improve the stability of positive electrode mixture material pastes used to produce nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, as well as to improve the output characteristics and charge/discharge cycle characteristics of secondary batteries. A method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes mixing a fired powder formed of a lithium-metal composite oxide having a layered crystal structure, a first compound which is at least one selected from a group consisting of a lithium-free oxide, a hydrate of the oxide, and a lithium-free inorganic acid salt, and water and drying a mixture resulting from the mixing. The fired powder includes secondary particles formed by agglomeration of primary particles. The first compound reacts with lithium ions in the presence of water to form a second compound including lithium.

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

An object of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which is capable of inhibiting the gelation of a positive electrode composite material paste without decreasing the charge and discharge capacity and the output characteristics, when used as a positive electrode material for batteries. The positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises a mixture containing a lithium metal composite oxide represented by a general formula LiNiCoMnMO(wherein, 0.03&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.35, 0&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.35, 0&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.05, 0.97&#x2264;a&#x2264;1.30, and M is at least one type of element selected from V, Fe, Cu, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, Zr, W and Al) and an ammonium tungstate powder, wherein when 5 g of the positive electrode material is mixed with 100 ml of pure water, the mixture is stirred for 10 minutes and then left to stand for 30 minutes, and then the pH of a supernatant fluid at 25&#xb0; C. was measured, the pH ranges from 11.2 to 11.8.

Positive electrode material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and method for producing the same, and positive electrode composite material paste, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that improves the cycling characteristic and high-temperature storability without impairing the charge/discharge capacity and the output characteristics. A nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide is obtained by using a batch type crystallization method in which a raw material aqueous solution that includes Ni, Co and Mg is supplied in an inert atmosphere to a reaction aqueous solution that is controlled so that the temperature is within the range 45&#xb0; C. to 55&#xb0; C., the pH value is within the range 10.8 to 11.8 at a reference liquid temperature of 25&#xb0; C., and the ammonium-ion concentration is within the range 8 g/L to 12 g/L. An Al-coated composite hydroxide that is expressed by the general formula: NiCoAlMg(OH)(where, 0.05&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.20, 0.01&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.06, and 0.01&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.03) is obtained by mixing a slurry that includes the nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide with a coating aqueous solution that includes Al to form a mixed aqueous solution, and coating the secondary particles with a coating film that includes Al or an Al compound. A cathode active material that is configured so that component elements that include Al are uniformly dispersed in the secondary particles is synthesized using the Al-coated composite hydroxide as a precursor.

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

The present invention industrially provides: a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high energy density and high cycling characteristics; a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high packing efficiency; and a nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide having a small particle size, a narrow particle size distribution, and a high sphericity. When producing the nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction using material solution where metal compounds including nickel and manganese dissolve, a nucleation process is performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by stirring an aqueous solution for nucleation, that includes the quantity of the material solution corresponding to 0.6% to 5.0% of the whole amount of substance of metal element included in a metal compound used for the overall crystallization reaction.

Nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide and manufacturing method for producing same

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

A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery contains lithium nickel cobalt zinc composite oxide represented by general formula (1): LiNiCoZnMO(0.95&#x2264;w&#x2264;1.10, 0.05&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.3, 0.005&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.08, and 0&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.3, where M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ti, Mn, Fe, and Cu), wherein the lithium nickel cobalt zinc composite oxide has a form of secondary particles each corresponding to an aggregation of primary particles of hexagonal lithium-containing composite oxide with a layered structure, contains zinc oxide on at least a part of a surface of the primary particles and/or a surface of the secondary particles, and has a (003)-plane crystallite diameter of 100 nm or larger and 160 nm or smaller, the diameter being obtained by X-ray diffraction and the Scherrer equation.

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

The object of the present invention is to improve the roundness of nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles obtained by a crystallization process, and to improve the filling characteristic of cathode active material produced using the nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles as a precursor. A reaction aqueous solution is formed by supplying a raw material aqueous solution including at least Ni and Mn, an aqueous solution including an ammonium-ion donor, and an alkali solution into a reaction tank, and mixing, then nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles are crystallized. When doing this, the oxygen concentration inside the reaction tank is controlled to be 3.0% by volume or greater, the temperature of the reaction aqueous solution is controlled to be 35&#xb0; C. to 60&#xb0; C., and the nickel-ion concentration is controlled to be 1,000 mg/L or greater. As a result, nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles are obtained that include secondary particles formed by an aggregation of plural primary particles and expressed by the general formula: NiMnM(OH)(where 0.05&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.95, 0.05&#x2264;y&#x2264;0.95, 0&#x2264;t&#x2264;0.20, x+y+t=1, 0&#x2264;&#x3b1;&#x2264;0.5, and M is one or more elements selected from among Co, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W); and the average value of the roundness of cathode active material having a particle size that is 70% the average particle size or more is 0.82 or greater, and the tap density is 2.20 g/cmor greater.

Nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles, method for producing same, cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, method for producing same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

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 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

Provided is an efficient method for determining the completion of discharging waste batteries, the method being capable of accurately identifying the discharging states of the charge remaining in the waste batteries and appropriately determining the completion of discharging without measuring the residual voltage of each of the waste batteries. The method for determining the completion of discharging waste batteries according to the present invention is characterized in that after immersing the waste batteries in a conductive liquid, the concentration of hydrogen gas produced from the liquid is measured, thereby determining the completion of discharging the charge remaining in the waste batteries.

Method for determining completion of discharge of a waste battery and determination device

Provided is a battery pack processing apparatus and a processing method with which discharge can be performed in a short time when a battery pack is discharged by immersing the battery pack in a discharge liquid. A processing apparatus A is for discharging a battery pack P having single cells c and a case b by immersing the battery pack P in the discharge liquid. The processing apparatus A includes an aperture-forming machineforming an aperture through which the discharge liquid can flow inside the case b by pressurizing the battery pack P. A state can thus be achieved which is the same as the state that results if the single cells c accommodated in the case b are individually immersed in the discharge liquid. A protection circuit f for preventing an over-discharge is prevented from suppressing a discharge current from the battery pack P, enabling the discharge in a short time.

Battery pack processing apparatus and processing method

A method is provided for decomposing free cyanide ion and metallic cyano complex ions in a liquid, comprising the steps of bringing the liquid into contact with ozone gas in a counterflow relation in the condition that the pH of the liquid is at least 10 with the mass flow rate of the ozone in the ozone gas up to 20 mg per minute per liter of liquid, and then bringing the liquid into contact in a counterflow relation with ozone gas having an ozone concentration of at least 150 g/m,in the condition that the pH of the liquid is 7.0 to 9.5.

Method of processing cyanide ions by ozone

Disclosed are a flexible wiring board in which the thickness of at least one part of the insulating film support to be bent in actual use of the board is made thinner than that of the other parts of it and the surfaces of the conductive patterns containing the part to be bent are covered each with a silicone rubber coveray, and a method of preparing the board. The board has sufficient flexibility enough to be well bent at the determined part in actual use thereof with ensuring the reliability of connection at the bent part.

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Niihama, Japan

Ryozo Ushio