A sodium-containing oxide positive electrode material and a preparation method therefor and use thereof are disclosed. Also disclosed are a positive electrode plate and uses thereof.

Provided is a nickel-containing composite hydroxide that is a precursor of a positive-electrode active material with which a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery having a low irreversible capacity and a high energy density can be configured. An aqueous alkaline aqueous solution and a complexing agent are added to an mixed aqueous solution including at least nickel and cobalt to regulate the pH (measured at a reference liquid temperature of 25? C.) of this mixed aqueous solution to 11.0 to 13.0, the ammonium concentration to 4 to 15 g/L, and the reaction temperature to 20? C. to 45? C. Using stirring blades having an inclination angle of 20? to 60? with respect to a horizontal plane, the mixture is stirred to conduct a crystallization reaction under such conditions that when the nickel-containing composite hydroxide to be obtained is roasted in air at 800? C. for 2 hours, the roasted composite hydroxide has a BET value of 12 to 50 m.sup.2/g. Thus a nickel-containing composite hydroxide expressed by Ni.sub.1?x?yCo.sub.xAl.sub.yM.sub.t(OH).sub.2+? (where, 0<x?0.20, 0<y?0.15, 0?t?0.10, 0??0.50, and M is one or more kind of element selected from among Mg, Ca, Ba, Nb, Mo, V, Ti, Zr and Y), or the general formula: Ni.sub.1?k?zCo.sub.xMn.sub.zM.sub.t(OH).sub.2+? (where 0<x?0.50, 0<z?0.50, x+z?0.70, 0?t?0.10, 0???0.50, and M is one or more kind of element selected from among Mg, Ca, Ba, Nb, Mo, V, Ti, Zr and Y) is obtained.

Provided are electrochemically active secondary particles that provide excellent capacity and improved cycle life. The particles are characterized by a plurality of nanocrystals with small average crystallite size. The reduced crystallite size reduces impedance generation during cycling thereby improving capacity and cycle life. Also provided are methods of forming electrochemically active materials, as well as electrodes and electrochemical cells employing the secondary particles.

A positive electrode active material comprises a Li-transition metal-layered oxide represented by the formula: Li.sub.a(Ni.sub.bCo.sub.cAl.sub.dMe.sub.e)O.sub.2 (in which Me=Mn, Mg, Ti, Ru, Zr, Nb, Mo, W; 1.00a1.15; 0.25<b<1; 0<c0.30; 0d0.05; 0e0.40), and is constituted of secondary particles formed by aggregation of primary particles. As to a compositional ratio of Li which is derived from unreacted substances or decomposed products in the secondary particles, a variation coefficient (Standard deviation value/Average value) of a Li-compositional ratio: Li/M (M=Ni+Co+Al+Me) is 30% or less. The positive electrode active material hardly deteriorates even if repeatedly charged/discharged, and enables stable charge/discharge, and then a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is enabled to have an excellent output property and a long lifetime.

A positive electrode active material for a magnesium secondary battery, and a positive electrode for a magnesium secondary battery and a magnesium secondary battery in which the positive electrode active material is used are provided. The positive electrode active material consists of a magnesium composite oxide which is represented by Formula (1): Mg.sub.xM1.sub.yM2.sub.zO.sub.2 and which has a rock salt-type crystal structure of space group Fm-3m. In Formula (1), M1 is Ni, Co, or Mn, M2 is different from M1 and is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu, Nb, W, Mo, and Ru, 0<x1, 0<y<2, 0<z<1; and 1.5x+y+z2.0.

The invention relates to electrodes comprising doped nickelate-containing compositions comprising a first component-type comprising one or more components with an 03 structure of the general formula: A.sub.aM.sup.1vM.sup.2wM.sup.3xM.sup.4yM.sup.5zO.sub.2 wherein A comprises one or more alkali metal selected from sodium, lithium and potassium M.sup.1 is nickel in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.2 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, M.sup.3 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.4 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, and M.sup.5 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 3+ wherein 0.855a1; 0<v<0.5; at least one of w and y is >0; x0; z0; and wherein a, v, w, x, y and z are chosen to maintain electroneutrality; together with one or more component-types selected from a second component-type comprising one or more components with a P2 structure of the general formula: A.sub.a<M.sup.1vM.sup.2wM.sup.3x<M.sup.4y<M.sup.5zO.sub.2 wherein A comprises one or more alkali metal selected from sodium, lithium and potassium; M.sup.1 is nickel in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.2 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, M.sup.3 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.4 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4, and M.sup.5 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 3+ wherein 0.4a<1; 0<v<0.5; at least one of w and y is >0; x0, preferably x>0; z>0; and wherein a, v, w, x, y and z are chosen to maintain electroneutrality; and a third component-type comprising one or more components with a P3 structure of the general formula: A.sub.aM1.sub.vM2.sub.wM.sup.3.sub.xM.sup.4.sub.yM.sup.5.sub.zO.sub.2 wherein A comprises one or more alkali metals selected from sodium, lithium and potassium; M.sup.1 is nickel in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.2 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, M.sup.3 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 2, M.sup.4 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, and M.sup.5 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 3+ wherein 0.4a<1, 0<v<0.5, At least one of w and y is >0; x0; z0; and wherein a, v, w, x, y and z are chosen to maintain electroneutrality.

To improve cycling characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery by obtaining a nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide having a sharp particle size distribution as a precursor, a slurry including a nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide obtained by continuously supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least nickel and cobalt, an ammonium ion donor aqueous solution and a caustic alkali aqueous solution to a reaction vessel and reacting, is continuously extracted and separated into a large particle size portion and s small particle size portion by classification, and the small particle size portion is continuously returned to the reaction vessel. As a result, a nickel-cobalt composite hydroxide is obtained that is expressed by the general formula: Ni.sub.1xyCo.sub.xM.sub.y(OH).sub.2 (where, 0.05x0.50, 0y0.10, 0.05x+y0.50, and M is at least one kind of metal element selected from among Al, Mg, Mn, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn and Ga, and that satisfies the relationships (D50D10)/D500.30, and (D90D50)/D500.30 among D10, D50 and D90 of this composite hydroxide.

The invention relates to a method of preparing a sodium metal oxide material comprising Na.sub.xM.sub.yCo.sub.zO.sub.2-?, where M is one or more of the following elements: Mn, Cu, Ti, Fe, Mg, Ni, V, Zn, Al, Li, Sn, Si, Ga, Ge, Sb, W, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, 0.7?x?1.3, 0.9?y?1.1, 0?z<0.15, 0???0.2 and wherein the average length of primary particles of said sodium metal oxide material is between 2 and 10 ?m, preferably between 5 and 10 ?m. The invention also relates to such a material.

Disclosed are a cathode active material for sodium-ion batteries and a preparation method therefor and an application thereof. The cathode active material has a chemical formula of Na.sub.xNi.sub.yFe.sub.zMn.sub.gM.sub.hA.sub.mO.sub.2, where M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, Mg, Ca, Zr, Y, Zn, Nb, W and combinations thereof, A is selected from the group consisting of B, P, C and combinations thereof, 0.80?x?1.40, 0.05?y?0.95, 0.05?z?0.95, 0.05?g?0.95, 0.01?h?0.50, and 0.01?m?0.30. By adding M and A elements to the ternary iron-manganese-nickel cathode active material for sodium-ion batteries, and controlling the ratio of all elements, the present disclosure can achieve the formation of a perfect layered single-crystal structure of the cathode active material for sodium-ion batteries, with large particles, ultimately achieving the stability of the active material, and when used in sodium-ion batteries, it can significantly improve the cycling performance at high temperatures while ensuring high gram capacity.

The invention relates to electrodes comprising doped nickelate-containing compositions comprising a first component-type comprising one or more components with an 03 structure of the general formula: A.sub.aM.sup.1V M.sup.2W M.sup.3X M.sup.4y M.sup.5Z O.sub.2 wherein A comprises one or more alkali metal selected from sodium, lithium and potassium; M.sup.1 is nickel in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.2 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, M.sup.3 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.4 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, and M.sup.5 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 3+ wherein 0.85a1; 0<v<0.5; at least one of w and y is >0; x0; z0; and wherein a, v, w, x, y and z are chosen to maintain electroneutrality; together with one or more component-types selected from a second component-type comprising one or more components with a P2 structure of the general formula: A.sub.a<M.sup.1 V M.sup.2 W M.sup.3 X<M.sup.4 y<M.sup.5 Z O.sub.2 wherein A comprises one or more alkali metal selected from sodium, lithium and potassium; M.sup.1 is nickel in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.2 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, M.sup.3 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.4 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, and M.sup.5 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 3+ wherein 0.4a<1; 0<v<0.5; at least one of w and y is >0; x0, preferably x>0; z>0; and wherein a, v, w, x, y and z are chosen to maintain electroneutrality; and a third component-type comprising one or more components with a P3 structure of the general formula: A.sub.aM1.sub.vM2.sub.wM.sup.3.sub.xM.sup.4.sub.yM.sup.5.sub.zO.sub.2 wherein A comprises one or more alkali metals selected from sodium, lithium and potassium; M.sup.1 is nickel in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.2 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, M.sup.3 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 2+, M.sup.4 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 4+, and M.sup.5 comprises one or more metals in oxidation state 3+ wherein 0.4a<1, 0<v<0.5, At least one of w and y is >0; x0; z0; and wherein a, v, w, x, y and z are chosen to maintain electroneutrality.