JP-2026514304-A - Blended cathode active material containing iron phosphate-based material and nickel oxide-based material and method thereof

Abstract

Blended cathode active materials, including iron phosphate-based and nickel oxide-based active materials, and methods for their manufacture are described. Blended cathode active materials enable energy storage devices with improved performance, including improved capacity retention and cycle life, but are not limited to these. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

• ダーン，ジェフリー アール．
• ヤン，チョンイン
• ユエ，モン
• エーケン，コナー ピー．

Assignees

• テスラ，インコーポレイテッド

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20240430

Priority Date

20230502

Claims (20)

1. Iron phosphate-based active materials, A nickel oxide-based active material comprising at least one lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide or lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, A blend of cathode active materials, including a blend of cathode active materials.
2. The blended cathode active material according to claim 1, wherein the iron phosphate-based active material is selected from the group consisting of lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP), and combinations thereof.
3. The blended cathode active material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nickel oxide-based active material is selected from the group consisting of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), and combinations thereof.
4. The blended cathode active material according to claim 3, wherein the NMC is selected from the group consisting of NMC550, NMC640, NMC631, NMC730, NMC75:25:0, NMC532, NMC111, NMC811, NMC622, NMC Ni83, NMC Ni91, and combinations thereof.
5. A blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the iron phosphate-based active material at a concentration of approximately 90 to 99% by weight.
6. A blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the nickel oxide-based active material at a concentration of approximately 0.1 to 15% by weight.
7. A blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the nickel oxide-based active material at a concentration of approximately 0.1 to 3% by weight.
8. The blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the nickel oxide-based active material has a specific surface area of at least about 4 m² /g.
9. The blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the nickel oxide-based active material contains less than approximately 3% by weight of lithium-containing impurities.
10. The blended cathode active material according to claim 9 , wherein the lithium-containing impurity is selected from the group consisting of LiOH, Li₂CO₃ , and combinations thereof.
11. The blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the nickel oxide-based active material contains less than about 0.5% by weight of LiOH.
12. The blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the nickel oxide-based active material contains less than about 1% by weight of Li₂CO₃ .
13. An energy storage device, A cathode electrode comprising a blended cathode active material according to any one of claims 1 to 12, Separator and, Anode electrode and Electrolytes, Housing and Equipped with, An energy storage device in which the cathode electrode, the separator, and the anode electrode are arranged within the housing.
14. The energy storage device according to claim 13, wherein the anode electrode contains a graphite active material.
15. A process for forming a blend cathode active material, The step of combining an iron phosphate-based active material with a nickel oxide-based active material to form a blended cathode active material mixture includes: A process wherein the nickel oxide-based active material comprises at least one of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide.
16. The process according to claim 15, further comprising the step of surface-machining the nickel oxide-based active material before the combining step.
17. The process according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the step of surface-processing the nickel oxide-based active material includes grinding.
18. The process according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the step of surface-processing the nickel oxide-based active material is carried out in an atmosphere free of water and CO2 .
19. The process according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the step of surface-processing the nickel oxide-based active material is performed in ambient air.
20. The process according to any one of claims 15 to 19, further comprising the step of heating the nickel oxide-based active material before combining the iron phosphate-based active material and the nickel oxide-based active material.

Description

[Cross-reference of related applications] All applications in which foreign or national priority claims are identified in the application datasheet or PCT request filed with this application are incorporated herein by reference under 37 CFR 1.57 and Rules 4.18 and 20.6. This application claims the interests of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/499,655, filed 2 May 2023, titled “Blended Cathode Active Material Including Iron Phosphate Based and Nickel Oxide Based Materials, and Methods Thereof,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for any purpose. This disclosure generally relates to energy storage devices, and more specifically to cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries and processes for forming them. Energy storage devices are widely used to power electronic, electromechanical, electrochemical, and other useful devices. Such batteries include primary chemical batteries, secondary (rechargeable) batteries, fuel cells, and various types of capacitors, including ultracapacitors. Increasing the operating voltage and temperature limits of electrochemical energy storage devices can lead to increased energy density, increased power capacity, and a wider range of real-world use cases. Some cathode electrodes in lithium-ion batteries are manufactured from first-row transition metal oxides. Examples of such cathode active materials include lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), and lithium manganese oxide (LMO). Some other cathode electrodes in lithium-ion batteries contain transition metal phosphates such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP). However, the performance of the cathode active material used in lithium-ion batteries can lead to poor, undesirable battery performance, including loss of charge and storage capacity during repeated charge-discharge cycles. For the purpose of summarizing the advantages achieved beyond the present invention and the prior art, specific objectives and advantages of the present invention are described herein. Not all such objectives or advantages can be achieved in any particular embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be embodied or implemented to achieve or optimize one advantage or set of advantages taught herein, without necessarily achieving other objectives or advantages that may be taught or suggested herein. In one embodiment, a blended cathode active material is described. The blended cathode active material comprises an iron phosphate-based active material; and a nickel oxide-based active material containing at least one lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide or lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide. In some examples, the iron phosphate-based active material is selected from the group consisting of lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP), and combinations thereof. In some examples, the nickel oxide-based active material is selected from the group consisting of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), and combinations thereof. In some examples, the NMC is selected from the group consisting of NMC550, NMC640, NMC631, NMC730, NMC75:25:0, NMC532, NMC111, NMC811, NMC622, NMCNi83, NMCNi91, and combinations thereof. In some examples, the blended cathode active material contains iron phosphate-based active material at a concentration of about 90–99% by weight. In some examples, the blended cathode active material contains nickel oxide-based active material at a concentration of about 0.1–15% by weight. In some examples, the blended cathode active material contains nickel oxide-based active material at a concentration of about 0.1–3% by weight. In some examples, the nickel oxide-based active material has a specific surface area of at least about 4 m²/g. In some examples, the nickel oxide-based active material contains less than about 3% by weight of lithium - containing impurities. In some examples, the lithium-containing impurities are selected from the group consisting of LiOH, Li₂CO₃ , and combinations thereof. In some examples, the nickel oxide-based active material contains less than about 0.5% by weight of LiOH . In some examples, the nickel oxide-based active material contains less than about 1% by weight of Li₂CO₃ . In another embodiment, an energy storage device is described. The energy storage device comprises a cathode electrode containing a blended cathode active material; a separator; an anode electrode; an electrolyte; and a housing, where the cathode electrode, separator, and anode electrode are located within the housing. In some embodiments, the anode electrode contains a graphite active material. In another embodiment, a process for forming a blended cathode active material is described. The method comprises combining an iron phosphate-based active material with a nickel oxide-based active material to form a blended cathode act