Method for the production of lithium-rich metal oxides

US7959882B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Kirill Bramnik · Mannheim, DE
• Hartmut Hibst · Schriesheim, DE
• Julian Prölß · Worms, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 14, 2008
• Grant date: Jun 14, 2011
• Expiry date: Apr 14, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/10
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A process for preparing lithium-rich metal oxides. The process comprises subjecting a mixture of a metal oxide or a metal oxide with low lithium content and a lithium sulfide in a solid state to a thermal treatment to form a lithium-rich metal oxide and elemental sulfur and subliming off the elemental sulfur. The lithium-rich metal oxides produced from the process may be used as cathode material in lithium ion batteries or electrochemical cells. Suitable metal oxides may be selected from metal oxides of the elements of group Va to VIIa of the Periodic Table and may include vanadium oxides, manganese dioxide, manganese oxide, chromium trioxide, niobium pentoxide, tantalum pentoxide, molybdenum oxides or tungsten trioxide. Metal oxides with low lithium content are metal oxides as defined above which comprise a small amount of lithium, in which the molar ratio of lithium atoms to metal atoms is not more than 1:2.30.