Abstract: The invention provides electrode active materials comprising lithium or other alkali metals, manganese, a +3 oxidation state metal ion, and optionally other metals, and a phosphate moiety. Such electrode active materials include those of the formula: AaMnbMIcMIIdMIIIePO4 wherein (a) A is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, and mixtures thereof, and 0<a?1; (b) 0<b?1; (c) MI is a metal ion in the +3 oxidation state, and 0<c<0.5; (d) MII is metal ion, a transition metal ion, a non-transition metal ion or mixtures thereof, and 0?d<0.5; (e) MIII is a metal ion in the +1 oxidation state and 0<e<0.5; and wherein A, Mn, MI, MII, MIII, PO4, a, b, c, d and e are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of said compound.

Abstract: The invention provides electrode active materials comprising lithium or other alkali metals, manganese, a +3 oxidation state metal ion, and optionally other metals, and a phosphate moiety. Such electrode active materials include those of the formula: AaMnbMIcMIIdMIIIePO4 wherein (a) A is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, and mixtures thereof, and 0<a<1; (b) 0<b<1; (c) MI is a metal ion in the +3 oxidation state, and 0<c<0.5; (d) MII is metal ion, a transition metal ion, a non-transition metal ion or mixtures thereof, and 0<d<0.5; (e) MIII is a metal ion in the +1 oxidation state and 0<e<0.5; and wherein A, Mn, MI, MII, MIII, PO4, a, b, c, d and e are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of said compound.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrochemical cell which includes a first electrode having a electrode active material, a second electrode which is a counter electrode to the first electrode, and an electrolyte. The positive electrode active material is represented by the general formula AaVbNbc(PO4)3, wherein 0<a<9, and 0<b,c<2.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel polyanion-based electrode active material for use in a secondary or rechargeable electrochemical cell, wherein the electrode active material is represented by the general formula AaMb(SO4)2Zd.

Abstract: A secondary electrochemical cell is described having (a) a first electrode comprising an active material of the formula LiaCoeFefM1gM2hM3iXY4, (b) a second electrode which is a counter-electrode to said first electrode; and (c) an electrolyte comprising an electrolyte salt, a cyclic ester and a carbonate selected from the group consisting of alkyl carbonates, alkylene carbonates, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention is directed to synthesizing a phosphate-based electrode active material. The method includes the step of reacting two or more starting materials collectively containing at least a PO33? anion, an alkali metal and a metal which is redox active in the final reaction product, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form the phosphate-based electrode active material.

Abstract: An electrode active material comprising two or more groups of particles having differing chemical compositions, wherein each group of particles comprises a material selected from: (a) materials of the formula A2eM2fOg; and (b) materials of the formula A3hMniO4; wherein (i) A2, and A3 are independently selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, and mixtures thereof, 0<e?6 and h?2.0; (ii) M2 is one or more metals, comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, V, Zr, Ti, Mo, and Cr, and 1?f?6; (iii) 0<g?15; (iv) M2, e, f, g, h, and i, are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of said compound; and (v) said material of the formula A3hMniO4 has an inner and an outer region, wherein the inner region comprises a cubic spinel manganese oxide, and the outer region comprises a manganese oxide that is enriched in Mn+4 relative to the inner region.

Abstract: Methods for producing an electrode active material precursor, comprising; a) producing a mixture comprising particles of lithium hydrogen phosphate, having a first average particle size, and a metal hydroxide, having a second average particle size; and b) grinding said mixture in a jet mill for a period of time suitable to produce a generally homogeneous mixture of particles having a third average size smaller than said first average size. The precursor may be used as a starting material for making electrode active materials for use in a battery, comprising lithium, a transition metal, and phosphate or a similar anion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a lithium vanadium phosphate material comprising forming a aqueous slurry (in which some of the components are at least partially dissolved) comprising a polymeric material, an acidic phosphate anion source, a lithium compound, V2O5 and a source of carbon; wet blending said slurry, spray drying said slurry to form a precursor composition; and heating said precursor composition to produce a lithium vanadium phosphate.

Abstract: Active materials for rechargeable batteries have a general formula Aa(MO)bM?cXO4 where A represents an alkali metal or mixture of alkali metals, a is greater than about 0.1 and less than or equal to about 2; MO is an ion containing a transition metal M not in its highest oxidation state, M? represents a metal, or mixture of metals, and b is greater than 0 and less than or equal to about 1, c is less than 1 wherein a, b and c are selected so as to maintain the electroneutrality of the compound, and X is phosphorus, arsenic, or sulfur, or mixtures thereof. Preferred active materials are alkali metal vanadyl metal phosphates of general formula Aa(VO)bM?cPO4 where a and b are both greater than 0 and c may be zero or greater. New synthetic routes are provided to alkali metal mixed metal phosphates where at least one of the starting materials is a metal-oxo group (MO)3+, where M represents a metal in a +5 oxidation state.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrochemical cell which includes a first electrode and a second electrode which is a counter electrode to said first electrode, and an electrolyte material interposed there between. The first electrode includes an alkali metal phosphorous compound doped with an element having a valence state greater than that of the alkali metal.

Abstract: The invention provides a cylindrical electrochemical cell which includes a first electrode and a second electrode which is a counter electrode to the first electrode, and an electrolyte. The first electrode includes a polyanion-based electrode active material.

Abstract: An electrode active material comprising two or more groups of particles having differing chemical compositions, wherein each group of particles comprises a material selected from: (a) materials of the formula A2eM2fOg; and (b) materials of the formula A3hMniO4; wherein (i) A2, and A3 are independently selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, and mixtures thereof, 0<e?6 and h?2.0; (ii) M2 is one or more metals, comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, V, Zr, Ti, Mo, and Cr, and 1?f?6; (iii) 0<g?15; (iv) M2, e, f, g, h, and i, are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of said compound; and (v) said material of the formula A3hMniO4 has an inner and an outer region, wherein the inner region comprises a cubic spinel manganese oxide, and the outer region comprises a manganese oxide that is enriched in Mn+4 relative to the inner region.

Abstract: Electrode active materials comprising two or more groups of particles having differing chemical compositions, wherein each group of particles comprises a material selected from: (a) materials of the formula A1 aM1 b(XY4)cZd; and (b) materials of the formula A2eM2fOg; and (c) materials of the formula A3hMniO4; wherein (i) A1, A2, and A3 are Li, Na, or K; (ii) M1and M3 comprise a transition metal; (iv) XY4 a phosphate or similar moiety; and (v) Z is OH, or halogen.

Abstract: Electrode active materials comprising lithium or other alkali metals, a transition metal, and a phosphate or similar moiety, of the formula: Aa+xMbP1-xSixO4 wherein (a) A is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, and mixtures thereof, and 0<a<1.0 and 0?x?1; (b) M comprises one or more metals, comprising at least one metal which is capable of undergoing oxidation to a higher valence state, where 0<b?2; and wherein M, a, b, and x are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of said compound.

Abstract: Sodium ion batteries are based on sodium based active materials selected among compounds of the general formula AaMb(XY4)cZd, wherein A comprises sodium, M comprises one or more metals, comprising at least one metal which is capable of undergoing oxidation to a higher valence state, Z is OH or halogen, and XY4 represents phosphate or a similar group. The anode of the battery includes a carbon material that is capable of inserting sodium ions. The carbon anode cycles reversibly at a specific capacity greater than 100 mAh/g.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrochemical cell which includes a first electrode and a second electrode which is a counter electrode to said first electrode, and an electrolyte material interposed there between. The first electrode includes an alkali metal phosphorous compound doped with an element having a valence state greater than that of the alkali metal.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that certain types of synthetic graphite exhibit superior rate capabilities when used in batteries or cells employing lithium metal phosphate cathodes. Additionally, it has been found that the use of dimethyl carbonate and/or ethyl methyl carbonate in the electrolyte when used in such graphite/lithium methyl phosphate batteries or cells facilitates the discharge reactions on both the cathode and the anode and in particular especially improves the rate capability of the graphite anode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a lithium vanadium phosphate material comprising mixing water, lithium dihydrogen phosphate, V2O3 and a source of carbon to produce a first slurry; wet blending the first slurry; spray drying the wet blended slurry to form a precursor composition; milling the precursor composition to obtain a milled precursor composition; compacting the milled precursor to obtain a compacted precursor; pre-baking the compacted precursor composition to obtain a precursor composition with low moisture content; and calcining the precursor composition with low moisture content at a time and temperature sufficient to produce a lithium vanadium phosphate. The lithium vanadium phosphate so produced can optionally be further milled to obtain the desired particle size. The electrochemically active lithium vanadium phosphate so produced is useful in making electrodes and batteries and more specifically is useful in producing cathode materials for electrochemical cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a lithium vanadium phosphate material comprising forming a aqueous slurry (in which some of the components are at least partially dissolved) comprising a polymeric material, an acidic phosphate anion source, a lithium compound, V2O5 and a source of carbon; wet blending said slurry, spray drying said slurry to form a precursor composition; and heating said precursor composition to produce a lithium vanadium phosphate.