US 11,990,618 B2
Positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and process for producing same, and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery
Jun Suzuki, Ehime (JP); and Koji Yamaji, Ehime (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/515,887.
Application 17/515,887 is a division of application No. 15/706,326, filed on Sep. 15, 2017, granted, now 11,196,047.
Claims priority of application No. 2016-182668 (JP), filed on Sep. 20, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0052339 A1, Feb. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. H01M 4/525 (2010.01); H01M 4/04 (2006.01); H01M 4/131 (2010.01); H01M 4/1391 (2010.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01); H01M 4/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 4/525 (2013.01) [H01M 4/04 (2013.01); H01M 4/131 (2013.01); H01M 4/1391 (2013.01); H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 2004/028 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for producing a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing lithium metal composite oxide comprising lithium, a metal element, and an additive element, and nickel content as the metal element is 60 to 90 atomic percent with respect to a sum of the metal element and the additive element, and boron content as the additive element is more than 1.0 atomic percent and 6.0 atomic percent or less with respect to the sum of the metal element and the additive element, wherein the process comprising:
a crystallization step including a step that mixed aqueous solution containing a metal salt element, which includes at least nickel salt, and a boron compound as the additive element, and aqueous solution containing ammonium ion are mixed to be reaction solution, and that pH of the reaction solution based on a liquid temperature of 25° C. is controlled to be in a range of 11.0 to 12.5 using alkaline aqueous solution, and that, at that time, aqueous solution containing ammonium ion and alkaline aqueous solution are supplied into the reaction solution to grow particles of nickel composite hydroxide;
a drying step for drying crystallized the nickel composite hydroxide after washing it;
and a calcining step for obtaining the lithium metal composite oxide by calcining in oxygen atmosphere a mixture obtained by mixing dried the nickel composite hydroxide and a lithium compound;
wherein, in the crystallization step, a position for supplying the aqueous solution containing ammonium ion and the alkaline aqueous solution is located between deepest part of stirring blade in the reaction solution and a position at one third of a distance between deepest part of the stirring blade and liquid surface of the reaction solution from deepest part of the stirring blade, in vertical direction, and located between outermost periphery of the stirring blade and an intermediate position of a center and outermost periphery of the stirring blade, in horizontal direction.
 
7. A process for producing a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing lithium metal composite oxide comprising lithium, a metal element, and an additive element, and nickel content as the metal element is 60 to 90 atomic percent with respect to a sum of the metal element and the additive element, and boron content as the additive element is more than 1.0 atomic percent and 6.0 atomic percent or less with respect to the sum of the metal element and the additive element, wherein the process comprising:
a crystallization step including a step that mixed aqueous solution containing a metal salt element, which includes at least nickel salt, and a boron compound as the additive element, and aqueous solution containing ammonium ion are mixed to be reaction solution, and that pH of the reaction solution based on a liquid temperature of 25° C. is controlled to be in a range of 11.0 to 12.5 using alkaline aqueous solution, and that, at that time, aqueous solution containing ammonium ion and alkaline aqueous solution are supplied into the reaction solution to grow particles of nickel composite hydroxide;
a drying step for drying crystallized the nickel composite hydroxide after washing it;
and a calcining step for obtaining the lithium metal composite oxide by calcining in oxygen atmosphere a mixture obtained by mixing dried the nickel composite hydroxide and a lithium compound;
wherein, in the crystallization step, a position for supplying the aqueous solution containing ammonium ion and the alkaline aqueous solution is located at liquid surface between outer periphery of liquid surface of the reaction solution and a position at one third of a distance between a center and outer periphery of liquid surface from outer periphery of liquid surface.