Title: Processes for making dense, spherical active materials for lithium-ion cells

Abstract

Processes are provided for making dense, spherical mixed-metal carbonate or phosphate precursors that are particularly well suited for the production of active materials for electrochemical devices such as lithium ion secondary batteries. Exemplified methods include precipitating dense, spherical particles of metal carbonates or metal phosphates from a combined aqueous solution using a precipitating agent such as ammonium hydrogen carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or a mixture that includes sodium hydrogen carbonate. Other exemplified methods include precipitating dense, spherical particles of metal phosphates using a precipitating agent such as ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, or a mixture of any two or more thereof. Further provided are compositions of and methods of making dense, spherical metal oxides and metal phosphates using the dense, spherical metal precursors. Still further provided are electrodes and batteries using the same.

Inventors:

Kang, Sun-Ho ^[1]; Amine, Khalil ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. Naperville, IL
2. Downers Grove, IL

Issue Date:

Tue Nov 22 00:00:00 EST 2011

Research Org.:

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1032964

Patent Number(s):

8062792

Application Number:

11/410,757

Assignee:

UChicago Argonne LLC (Chicago, IL)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01D - COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS, i.e. LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CAESIUM, OR FRANCIUM

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C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS

C01B13/185 - {Preparing mixtures of oxides}
C01B25/265 - {General methods for obtaining phosphates}
C01B25/30 - Alkali metal phosphates
C01B25/45 - containing plural metal, or metal and ammonium
C01B32/60 - Preparation of carbonates or bicarbonates in general

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01D - COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS, i.e. LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CAESIUM, OR FRANCIUM

C01D15/02 - Oxides

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01G - COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F

C01G31/00 - Compounds of vanadium
C01G45/006 - {Compounds containing, besides manganese, two or more other elements, with the exception of oxygen or hydrogen
C01G51/006 - {Compounds containing, besides cobalt, two or more other elements, with the exception of oxygen or hydrogen
C01G51/42 - {containing alkali metals, e.g. LiCoO2}
C01G51/50 - {of the type [MnO2]n- , e.g. Li
C01G53/006 - {Compounds containing, besides nickel, two or more other elements, with the exception of oxygen or hydrogen
C01G53/42 - {containing alkali metals, e.g. LiNiO2}
C01G53/50 - {of the type [MnO2]n- , e.g. Li

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01P - INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

C01P2002/52 - containing elements as dopants
C01P2002/72 - by d-values or two theta-values, e.g. as X-ray diagram
C01P2004/03 - obtained by SEM
C01P2004/32 - Spheres
C01P2004/61 - Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
C01P2006/40 - Electric properties

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

H01M10/0525 - Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes
H01M2004/021 - {Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area}
H01M4/02 - Electrodes composed of or comprising active material
H01M4/0497 - {Chemical precipitation}
H01M4/131 - Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
H01M4/1315 - containing halogen atoms, e.g. LiCoOxFy
H01M4/364 - {as mixtures}
H01M4/48 - of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
H01M4/485 - of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy
H01M4/505 - of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
H01M4/525 - of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
H01M4/582 - {Halogenides}
H01M4/5825 - {Oxygenated metallic slats or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E60/10 - Energy storage

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DOE Contract Number:  

W-31-109-ENG-38

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

25 ENERGY STORAGE