Umicore

Umicore Korea, Ltd.

TaeHyeon Yang

Jens M Paulsen

Dae-Hyun Kim

Shinichi Kumakura

Liang Zhu

YuRi Lee

HyeJeong Yang

Song-Yi Han

Maxime Blangero

Areum Park

Yagmur Celasun

Jukyoung Lee

Elsye Agustina

A bimodal lithium transition metal oxide based powder mixture comprises a first and a second lithium transition metal oxide based powder. The first powder comprises particles of a material A comprising the elements Li, a transition metal based composition M and oxygen. The first powder has a particle size distribution characterized by a (D90−D10)/D50≤1.5. The second powder comprises a material B having single crystal particles, said particles having a general formula LiN'O, wherein −0.03≤b≤0.10, and N′=NiM″CoE, wherein 0.30≤x≤0.92, 0.05≤y≤0.40, 0.05≤z≤0.40 and 0≤d≤0.10, wherein M″ is one or both of Mn or Al, and E is a dopant different from M″. The first powder has an average particle size D50 between 10 and 40 μm. The second powder has a D50 between 2 and 4.5 μm. The weight ratio of the second powder in the mixture is between 15 and 60 wt %.

Positive electrode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries

A positive electrode active material powder suitable for lithium-ion batteries, comprising lithium transition metal-based oxide particles comprising a core and a surface layer, said surface layer being on top of said core, said particles comprising the elements: Li, a metal M' and oxygen, wherein the metal M′ has a formula: M′=(NiMnCo)A, wherein A is a dopant, 0.55≤z≤0.89, 0.05≤y≤0.25, 0.05≤x≤0.25, x+y+z+k=1, and k≤0.01, said positive electrode active material powder having a mean particle size D50 ranging from 3 μm to 15 μm and a surface layer thickness ranging from 5 nm to 200 nm. The surface layer comprises aluminum in a content superior or equal to 0.04 wt % and inferior or equal to 0.15 wt % relative to the total weight of the positive electrode active material.

As a positive electrode active material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries

A method for preparing a powderous positive electrode material comprising single crystal monolithic particles and having a general formula Li((Ni(NiMn)Co)A)O, wherein A is a dopant, −0.03≤a≤0.06, 0.05≤x≤0.35, 0.10≤z≤0.95, x+y+z=1 and k≤0.05 is described. The method comprises providing a mixture comprising a Ni- and Co- bearing precursor and a Li bearing precursor, subjecting the mixture to a multiple step sintering process whereby in the final sintering step a sintered lithiated intermediate material is obtained comprising agglomerated primary particles having a primary particle size distribution with a D50 between 2.0 and 8.0 μm, subjecting the lithiated intermediate material to a wet ball milling step to deagglomerate the agglomerated primary particles and obtain a slurry comprising deagglomerated primary particles, separating the deagglomerated primary particles from the slurry, and heat treating the deagglomerated primary particles at a temperature between 300° C. and at least 20° C. below the temperature in the final sintering step.

Methods for preparing positive electrode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries

A bimodal lithium transition metal oxide based powder mixture comprising a first and a second lithium transition metal oxide based powder. The first powder comprises a material A having a layered crystal structure comprising the elements Li, a transition metal based composition M and oxygen and has a particle size distribution with a span <1.0. The second powder has a monolithic morphology and a general formula LiN′O, wherein −0.03≤b≤0.10, and N′=NiM″CoE, wherein 0.30≤x≤0.92, 0.05≤y≤0.40, 0.05≤z≤0.40 and 0≤d≤0.10, with M″ being one or both of Mn or Al, and E being a dopant different from M″. The first powder has an average particle size D50 between 10 and 40 μm. The second powder has an average particle size D50 between 2 and 4 μm. The weight ratio of the second powder in the bimodal mixture is between 20 and 60 wt %.

A bimodal lithium transition metal oxide based powder mixture comprises a first and a second lithium transition metal oxide based powder. The first powder comprises particles of a material A comprising the elements Li, a transition metal based composition M and oxygen. The first powder has a particle size distribution characterized by a (D90−D10)/D50<1.0. The second powder comprises a material B having single crystal particles, said particles having a general formula LiN′O, wherein −0.03≤b≤0.10, and N′=NiM″CoE, wherein 0.30≤x≤0.92, 0.05≤y≤0.40, 0.05≤z≤0.40 and 0≤d≤0.10, wherein M″ is one or both of Mn or Al, and E is a dopant different from M″. The first powder has an average particle size D50 between 10 and 40 μm. The second powder has a D50 between 2 and 4 μm. The weight ratio of the second powder in the mixture is between 15 and 60 wt %.

The invention provides a positive electrode active material for a lithium ion battery, comprising a lithium transition metal-based oxide powder, the powder comprising single crystal monolithic particles comprising Ni and Co and having a general formula Li((Ni(NiMn)Co)A)02, wherein A is a dopant, &#x2212;0.02&#x3c;a&#x2264;0.06, 0.10&#x2264;x&#x2264;0.35, 0&#x2264;z&#x2264;0.90, x+y+z=1 and k&#x2264;0.01, the particles having a cobalt concentration gradient wherein the particle surface has a higher Co content than the particle center.

A method for preparing a N(M)C-based positive electrode materials according to the present invention comprises the following steps: &#x2014;Precipitation of a metal (at least Ni&#x2014; and Co&#x2014;, preferably comprising Mn&#x2014;) bearing precursor (MBP), &#x2014;Fractionation of the MBP in a first (A) fraction and at least one second (B) fraction, &#x2014;Lithiation of each of the first and second fraction, wherein the A fraction is converted into a first polycrystalline lithium transition metal oxide-based powder and the B fraction(s) is(are) converted into a second lithium transition metal oxide-based powder and, and &#x2014;Mixing the first and second monolithic lithium transition metal oxide-based powder to obtain the N(M)C-based positive electrode material.

Growing community of inventors

Cheonan-si, South Korea

TaeHyeon Yang