Provided is a process for producing prelithiated particles of an anode active material for a lithium battery. The process comprises: (a) providing a lithiating chamber having at least one inlet and at least one outlet; (b) feeding a plurality of particles of an anode active material, lithium metal particles, and an electrolyte solution (containing a lithium salt dissolved in a liquid solvent) into the lithiating chamber through at least one inlet, concurrently or sequentially, to form a reacting mixture; (c) moving this reacting mixture toward the outlet at a rate sufficient for inserting a desired amount of lithium into the anode active material particles to form a slurry of prelithiated particles dispersed in the electrolyte solution; and (d) discharging the slurry out of the lithiating chamber through the at least one outlet.

A nickel-hydrogen secondary battery includes an electrode group comprising a separator, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, and the positive electrode contains a positive electrode active material including a base particle comprising a nickel hydroxide particle containing Mn in solid solution and a conductive layer comprising a Co compound and covering the surface of the base particle, wherein the X-ray absorption edge energy of Mn detected within 6500 to 6600 eV by measurement with an XAFS method is 6548 eV or higher.

A nickel-hydrogen secondary battery includes an electrode group comprising a separator, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, and the positive electrode contains a positive electrode active material including a base particle comprising a nickel hydroxide particle containing Mn in solid solution and a conductive layer comprising a Co compound and covering the surface of the base particle, wherein the X-ray absorption edge energy of Mn detected within 6500 to 6600 eV by measurement with an XAFS method is 6548 eV or higher.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of metal oxide materials, and discloses a synthesis method of cobalt hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide. The synthesis method includes: (1) stirring and heating ammonium citrate, introducing a protective gas, adding a cobalt salt and a mixed alkali liquor to allow a reaction, and adjusting a pH to obtain a cobalt hydroxide slurry; and (2) subjecting the cobalt hydroxide slurry to alkali-leaching, filtering, and slurrying a resulting filter residue; and washing a resulting slurry with a detergent, and drying the resulting slurry to obtain the cobalt hydroxide. In the present disclosure, ammonium citrate is used as a base solution, and a cobalt solution and a mixed alkali liquor are added to synthesize a cobalt hydroxide slurry in one step under a protective atmosphere.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of metal oxide materials, and discloses a synthesis method of cobalt hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide. The synthesis method includes: (1) stirring and heating ammonium citrate, introducing a protective gas, adding a cobalt salt and a mixed alkali liquor to allow a reaction, and adjusting a pH to obtain a cobalt hydroxide slurry; and (2) subjecting the cobalt hydroxide slurry to alkali-leaching, filtering, and slurrying a resulting filter residue; and washing a resulting slurry with a detergent, and drying the resulting slurry to obtain the cobalt hydroxide. In the present disclosure, ammonium citrate is used as a base solution, and a cobalt solution and a mixed alkali liquor are added to synthesize a cobalt hydroxide slurry in one step under a protective atmosphere.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode active material that can inhibit the capacity changes associated with temperature variations, and an alkaline battery that contains this positive electrode active material. Aluminum and ytterbium are at least partially solid-dissolved in nickel hydroxide in the nickel composite hydroxide present in the positive electrode active material of the present invention.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode active material that can inhibit the capacity changes associated with temperature variations, and an alkaline battery that contains this positive electrode active material. Aluminum and ytterbium are at least partially solid-dissolved in nickel hydroxide in the nickel composite hydroxide present in the positive electrode active material of the present invention.

Provided is an anode particulate, having a dimension from 10 nm to 100 m, for use in an alkali metal battery, the particulate comprising (i) an anode active material capable of reversibly absorbing and desorbing lithium ions or sodium ions, (ii) an electron-conducting material, and (iii) a lithium ion-conducting or sodium ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein the electron-conducting material forms a three dimensional network of electron-conducting pathways in electronic contact with the anode active material and the electrolyte forms a three dimensional network of lithium ion- or sodium ion-conducting channels in ionic contact with the anode active material. The particulate can be of any shape, but preferably spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. Also provided is a cathode in a particulate form containing a cathode active material, an electron-conducting material forming a three dimensional network of electron-conducting pathways, and a lithium ion-conducting or sodium ion-conducting electrolyte forming a three dimensional network of ion-conducting channels.

Provided is an anode particulate, having a dimension from 10 nm to 100 m, for use in an alkali metal battery, the particulate comprising (i) an anode active material capable of reversibly absorbing and desorbing lithium ions or sodium ions, (ii) an electron-conducting material, and (iii) a lithium ion-conducting or sodium ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein the electron-conducting material forms a three dimensional network of electron-conducting pathways in electronic contact with the anode active material and the electrolyte forms a three dimensional network of lithium ion- or sodium ion-conducting channels in ionic contact with the anode active material. The particulate can be of any shape, but preferably spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. Also provided is a cathode in a particulate form containing a cathode active material, an electron-conducting material forming a three dimensional network of electron-conducting pathways, and a lithium ion-conducting or sodium ion-conducting electrolyte forming a three dimensional network of ion-conducting channels.

Mixed-metal oxides and lithiated mixed-metal oxides are disclosed that involve compounds according to, respectively, Ni.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zMe.sub.O.sub. and Li.sub.1+Ni.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zMe.sub.O.sub.. In these compounds, Me is selected from B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Ag, In, and combinations thereof; 0x1; 0y1; 0z<1; x+y+z>0; 00.5; and x+y+>0. For the mixed-metal oxides, 15. For the lithiated mixed-metal oxides, 0.11.0 and 1.93. The mixed-metal oxides and the lithiated mixed-metal oxides include particles having an average density greater than or equal to 90% of an ideal crystalline density.