Liquid flow in a reaction processing vessel 10 is set to a spiral flow, a liquid A and B as an additional liquid containing an inorganic substance to be added is injected at a center-side position with respect to an inner surface of the reaction processing vessel 10 in a reaction field of the reaction processing vessel 10 so as to perform reaction processing.

A process for water removal and/or recycling of sodium sulphate and/or sodium dithionate containing liquors derived from processing a cobalt resource derived from components of lithium ion batteries comprising steps of deriving from the cobalt resource a solution containing cobalt sulphate and cobalt dithionate, precipitation of cobalt as cobaltous carbonate or cobaltous hydroxide followed by removal thereof from the liquor, crystallization of sodium sulphate and sodium dithionate and removal of the resulting crystals, followed by heating of the crystals to anhydrous sodium sulphate, sulphur dioxide and water and then separating the anhydrous sodium sulphate.

A process for water removal and/or recycling of sodium sulphate and/or sodium dithionate containing liquors derived from processing a cobalt resource derived from components of lithium ion batteries comprising steps of deriving from the cobalt resource a solution containing cobalt sulphate and cobalt dithionate, precipitation of cobalt as cobaltous carbonate or cobaltous hydroxide followed by removal thereof from the liquor, crystallization of sodium sulphate and sodium dithionate and removal of the resulting crystals, followed by heating of the crystals to anhydrous sodium sulphate, sulphur dioxide and water and then separating the anhydrous sodium sulphate.

The invention relates to a method for the precipitation of a solid material, where the method comprises: providing an aqueous metal ion solution, said metal ion solution comprising TiOSO.sub.4 and metal ions of a metal M, where M is one or more of the elements: Mg, Co, Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe; providing an aqueous carbonate solution; and mixing said aqueous metal ion solution and said aqueous carbonate solution thereby providing a solid material comprising titanium and a metal carbonate comprising said metal(s) M, where the titanium is homogeneously distributed within the solid material. The invention also relates to a solid material, a method of preparing a positive electrode material for a secondary battery from the solid material and the use of the solid material as a precursor for the preparation of a positive electrode material for a secondary battery.

The invention relates to a method for the precipitation of a solid material, where the method comprises: providing an aqueous metal ion solution, said metal ion solution comprising TiOSO.sub.4 and metal ions of a metal M, where M is one or more of the elements: Mg, Co, Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe; providing an aqueous carbonate solution; and mixing said aqueous metal ion solution and said aqueous carbonate solution thereby providing a solid material comprising titanium and a metal carbonate comprising said metal(s) M, where the titanium is homogeneously distributed within the solid material. The invention also relates to a solid material, a method of preparing a positive electrode material for a secondary battery from the solid material and the use of the solid material as a precursor for the preparation of a positive electrode material for a secondary battery.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing full-gradient particle precursors, and the full-gradient particle precursor prepared thereby. By controlling different types of anion compositions and/or cation compositions gradually changed to other types, and adjusting the pH to match with the species, precipitated particles are deposited to form a slurry, collecting the precipitated particle, treating with water, and drying to yield the particle precursor. After being washed and dried, the particle precursor is further mixed with lithium source, after calcining to yield cathode active particles. The cathode active particles can be used to prepare cathode of lithium-ion battery.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing full-gradient particle precursors, and the full-gradient particle precursor prepared thereby. By controlling different types of anion compositions and/or cation compositions gradually changed to other types, and adjusting the pH to match with the species, precipitated particles are deposited to form a slurry, collecting the precipitated particle, treating with water, and drying to yield the particle precursor. After being washed and dried, the particle precursor is further mixed with lithium source, after calcining to yield cathode active particles. The cathode active particles can be used to prepare cathode of lithium-ion battery.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

A positive electrode active material precursor for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided that includes a nickel-cobalt-manganese carbonate composite represented by general formula Ni.sub.xCo.sub.yMn.sub.zM.sub.tCO.sub.3 (where x+y+z+t=1, 0.05?x?0.3, 0.1?y?0.4, 0?t?0.1, and M denotes at least one additional element selected from a group consisting of Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, and W) and a hydrogen-containing functional group. The ratio H/Me of the amount of hydrogen H to the amount of metal components Me included in the positive electrode active material precursor is less than 1.60. The positive electrode active material further includes a secondary particle formed by a plurality of primary particles that have been aggregated.