Patents by Inventor Ryozo Ushio

Ryozo Ushio has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11411214
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and production method thereof that are able to improve the stability of positive electrode mixture material pastes used to produce nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, as well as to improve the output characteristics and charge/discharge cycle characteristics of secondary batteries. A method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes mixing a fired powder formed of a lithium-metal composite oxide having a layered crystal structure, a first compound which is at least one selected from a group consisting of a lithium-free oxide, a hydrate of the oxide, and a lithium-free inorganic acid salt, and water and drying a mixture resulting from the mixing. The fired powder includes secondary particles formed by agglomeration of primary particles. The first compound reacts with lithium ions in the presence of water to form a second compound including lithium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taira Aida, Jiro Okada, Tetsufumi Komukai, Koji Yamaji, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 11121368
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which is capable of inhibiting the gelation of a positive electrode composite material paste without decreasing the charge and discharge capacity and the output characteristics, when used as a positive electrode material for batteries. The positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises a mixture containing a lithium metal composite oxide represented by a general formula LiaNi1-x-y-zCoxMnyMzO2 (wherein, 0.03?x?0.35, 0?y?0.35, 0?z?0.05, 0.97?a?1.30, and M is at least one type of element selected from V, Fe, Cu, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, Zr, W and Al) and an ammonium tungstate powder, wherein when 5 g of the positive electrode material is mixed with 100 ml of pure water, the mixture is stirred for 10 minutes and then left to stand for 30 minutes, and then the pH of a supernatant fluid at 25° C. was measured, the pH ranges from 11.2 to 11.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Yamaji, Taira Aida, Ryozo Ushio
  • Publication number: 20210039960
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that improves the cycling characteristic and high-temperature storability without impairing the charge/discharge capacity and the output characteristics. A nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide is obtained by using a batch type crystallization method in which a raw material aqueous solution that includes Ni, Co and Mg is supplied in an inert atmosphere to a reaction aqueous solution that is controlled so that the temperature is within the range 45° C. to 55° C., the pH value is within the range 10.8 to 11.8 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C., and the ammonium-ion concentration is within the range 8 g/L to 12 g/L. An Al-coated composite hydroxide that is expressed by the general formula: Ni1-x-y-zCoxAlyMgz(OH)2 (where, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.01?y?0.06, and 0.01?z?0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Takehide HONMA, Koji YAMAJI, Ryozo USHIO
  • Patent number: 10858265
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that improves the cycling characteristic and high-temperature storability without impairing the charge/discharge capacity and the output characteristics. A nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide is obtained by using a batch type crystallization method in which a raw material aqueous solution that includes Ni, Co and Mg is supplied in an inert atmosphere to a reaction aqueous solution that is controlled so that the temperature is within the range 45° C. to 55° C., the pH value is within the range 10.8 to 11.8 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C., and the ammonium-ion concentration is within the range 8 g/L to 12 g/L. An Al-coated composite hydroxide that is expressed by the general formula: Ni1-x-y-zCoxAlyMgz(OH)2 (where, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.01?y?0.06, and 0.01?z?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehide Honma, Koji Yamaji, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 10777813
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with improved cycle characteristics and high temperature storage characteristics, without impairing an advantage of high capacity which lithium nickel composite oxide inherently possesses. The positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes lithium nickel composite oxide represented by a general formula (1): Li1+uNi1?x?y?zCoxMnyMgzO2 (However, u, x, y and z in the formula satisfies 0.015?u?0.030, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.01?y?0.10, 0.01?z?0.05, 0.10?x+y+z?0.25.), and wherein crystallite diameter is 100 nm to 130 nm. In addition, the positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is produced at least by an oxidation roasting step, a mixing step, and a calcining step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamauchi, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 10553870
    Abstract: The present invention industrially provides: a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high energy density and high cycling characteristics; a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high packing efficiency; and a nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide having a small particle size, a narrow particle size distribution, and a high sphericity. When producing the nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction using material solution where metal compounds including nickel and manganese dissolve, a nucleation process is performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by stirring an aqueous solution for nucleation, that includes the quantity of the material solution corresponding to 0.6% to 5.0% of the whole amount of substance of metal element included in a metal compound used for the overall crystallization reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruki Kaneda, Takaaki Ando, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 10522830
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that achieves both high thermal stability and high charge/discharge capacity and has excellent cycle characteristics and an easy and safe production method thereof, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the positive electrode active material. A method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes a crystallization step of adding an alkaline aqueous solution to a mixed aqueous solution containing at least nickel and cobalt for crystallization to obtain a nickel-containing hydroxide represented by a general formula Ni1?a??b?COa?Mb?(OH)2, a mixing step of mixing the obtained nickel-containing hydroxide, a lithium compound, and a niobium compound to obtain a lithium mixture, and a firing step of firing the lithium mixture in an oxidative atmosphere at 700 to 840° C. to obtain a lithium-transition metal composite oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruki Kaneda, Hiroko Oshita, Masanori Takagi, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 10361433
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery contains lithium nickel cobalt zinc composite oxide represented by general formula (1): LiwNi1-x-y-zCoxZnyMzO2 (0.95?w?1.10, 0.05?x?0.3, 0.005?y?0.08, and 0?z?0.3, where M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ti, Mn, Fe, and Cu), wherein the lithium nickel cobalt zinc composite oxide has a form of secondary particles each corresponding to an aggregation of primary particles of hexagonal lithium-containing composite oxide with a layered structure, contains zinc oxide on at least a part of a surface of the primary particles and/or a surface of the secondary particles, and has a (003)-plane crystallite diameter of 100 nm or larger and 160 nm or smaller, the diameter being obtained by X-ray diffraction and the Scherrer equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Yamaji, Ryozo Ushio, Takehide Honma, Satoshi Yoshio
  • Patent number: 10236507
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to improve the roundness of nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles obtained by a crystallization process, and to improve the filling characteristic of cathode active material produced using the nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles as a precursor. A reaction aqueous solution is formed by supplying a raw material aqueous solution including at least Ni and Mn, an aqueous solution including an ammonium-ion donor, and an alkali solution into a reaction tank, and mixing, then nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles are crystallized. When doing this, the oxygen concentration inside the reaction tank is controlled to be 3.0% by volume or greater, the temperature of the reaction aqueous solution is controlled to be 35° C. to 60° C., and the nickel-ion concentration is controlled to be 1,000 mg/L or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Yamaji, Takehide Honma, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 10230105
    Abstract: Obtaining cobalt hydroxide particles having a high filling property and a high density. The cobalt hydroxide particles used as a precursor for a positive electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including spherical secondary particles of flocculated primary particles, wherein average aspect ratio of the secondary particles is 0.7 or more, average particle diameter is 5 to 35 ?m, and a value of (d90?d10)/MV indicating a dispersion of a particle size distribution is 0.6 or less, wherein, in sectional observation of the secondary particles, a ratio (N/L) of number (N) of gaps with maximum long diameter 0.3 ?m or more recognized in particles of the secondary particles with sectional long diameter 3 ?m or more to sectional long diameter (L) of the secondary particles is 1.0 or less, and also, maximum long diameter of the gaps is 15% or less of sectional long diameter of the secondary particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamauchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Shuzo Ozawa, Ryozo Ushio
  • Publication number: 20190036112
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and production method thereof that are able to improve the stability of positive electrode mixture material pastes used to produce nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, as well as to improve the output characteristics and charge/discharge cycle characteristics of secondary batteries. A method for producing a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes mixing a fired powder formed of a lithium-metal composite oxide having a layered crystal structure, a first compound which is at least one selected from a group consisting of a lithium-free oxide, a hydrate of the oxide, and a lithium-free inorganic acid salt, and water and drying a mixture resulting from the mixing. The fired powder includes secondary particles formed by agglomeration of primary particles. The first compound reacts with lithium ions in the presence of water to form a second compound including lithium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taira Aida, Jiro Okada, Tetsufumi Komukai, Koji Yamaji, Ryozo Ushio
  • Publication number: 20180331358
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery contains lithium nickel cobalt zinc composite oxide represented by general formula (1): LiwNi1-x-y-zCoxZnyMzO2(0.95?w?1.10, 0.05?x?0.3, 0.005?y?0.08, and 0?z?0.3, where M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ti, Mn, Fe, and Cu), wherein the lithium nickel cobalt zinc composite oxide has a form of secondary particles each corresponding to an aggregation of primary particles of hexagonal lithium-containing composite oxide with a layered structure, contains zinc oxide on at least a part of a surface of the primary particles and/or a surface of the secondary particles, and has a (003)-plane crystallite diameter of 100 nm or larger and 160 nm or smaller, the diameter being obtained by X-ray diffraction and the Scherrer equation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Yamaji, Ryozo Ushio, Takehide Honma, Satoshi Yoshio
  • Publication number: 20180316006
    Abstract: The present invention industrially provides: a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high energy density and high cycling characteristics; a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high packing efficiency; and a nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide having a small particle size, a narrow particle size distribution, and a high sphericity. When producing the nickel manganese containing composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction using material solution where metal compounds including nickel and manganese dissolve, a nucleation process is performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by stirring an aqueous solution for nucleation, that includes the quantity of the material solution corresponding to 0.6% to 5.0% of the whole amount of substance of metal element included in a metal compound used for the overall crystallization reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Haruki Kaneda, Takaaki Ando, Ryozo Ushio
  • Patent number: 10084188
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material is provided that has a high capacity, a low irreversible capacity, an excellent initial charge/discharge efficiency, and excellent rate characteristics. This positive electrode active material comprises a hexagonal lithium nickel complex oxide having a layer structure and represented by the general formula LixNi1?y?zCoyMzO2 (0.98?x?1.04, 0.25?y?0.40, 0?z?0.07, and M is at least one element selected from Al, Ti, Mn, Ga, Mg, and Nb), wherein a lithium occupancy rate in a lithium main layer as obtained by Rietveld analysis from the x-ray diffraction pattern is at least 98.7%, and a crystallite diameter as calculated from the peak for the (003) plane in x-ray diffraction is 50 to 300 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensaku Mori, Masanori Takagi, Koji Yamaji, Takehide Honma, Ryozo Ushio
  • Publication number: 20180261873
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which is capable of inhibiting the gelation of a positive electrode composite material paste without decreasing the charge and discharge capacity and the output characteristics, when used as a positive electrode material for batteries. The positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises a mixture containing a lithium metal composite oxide represented by a general formula LiaNi1-x-y-zCoxMnyMzO2 (wherein, 0.03?x?0.35, 0?y?0.35, 0?z?0.05, 0.97?a?1.30, and M is at least one type of element selected from V, Fe, Cu, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, Zr, W and Al) and an ammonium tungstate powder, wherein when 5 g of the positive electrode material is mixed with 100 ml of pure water, the mixture is stirred for 10 minutes and then left to stand for 30 minutes, and then the pH of a supernatant fluid at 25° C. was measured, the pH ranges from 11.2 to 11.8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji YAMAJI, Taira AIDA, Ryozo USHIO
  • Publication number: 20180215629
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that improves the cycling characteristic and high-temperature storability without impairing the charge/discharge capacity and the output characteristics. A nickel cobalt containing composite hydroxide is obtained by using a batch type crystallization method in which a raw material aqueous solution that includes Ni, Co and Mg is supplied in an inert atmosphere to a reaction aqueous solution that is controlled so that the temperature is within the range 45° C. to 55° C., the pH value is within the range 10.8 to 11.8 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C., and the ammonium-ion concentration is within the range 8 g/L to 12 g/L. An Al-coated composite hydroxide that is expressed by the general formula: Ni1-x-y-zCoxAlyMgz(OH)2 (where, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.01?y?0.06, and 0.01?z?0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Takehide HONMA, Koji YAMAJI, Ryozo USHIO
  • Publication number: 20180145321
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with improved cycle characteristics and high temperature storage characteristics, without impairing an advantage of high capacity which lithium nickel composite oxide inherently possesses. The positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes lithium nickel composite oxide represented by a general formula (1): Li1+uNi1?x?y?zCoxMnyMgzO2 (However, u, x, y and z in the formula satisfies 0.015?u?0.030, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.01?y?0.10, 0.01?z?0.05, 0.10?x+y+z?0.25.), and wherein crystallite diameter is 100 nm to 130 nm. In addition, the positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is produced at least by an oxidation roasting step, a mixing step, and a calcining step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru YAMAUCHI, Ryozo USHIO
  • Patent number: 9599677
    Abstract: Provided is an efficient method for determining the completion of discharging waste batteries, the method being capable of accurately identifying the discharging states of the charge remaining in the waste batteries and appropriately determining the completion of discharging without measuring the residual voltage of each of the waste batteries. The method for determining the completion of discharging waste batteries according to the present invention is characterized in that after immersing the waste batteries in a conductive liquid, the concentration of hydrogen gas produced from the liquid is measured, thereby determining the completion of discharging the charge remaining in the waste batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunari Maeba, Ryozo Ushio
  • Publication number: 20170012288
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to improve the roundness of nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles obtained by a crystallization process, and to improve the filling characteristic of cathode active material produced using the nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles as a precursor. A reaction aqueous solution is formed by supplying a raw material aqueous solution including at least Ni and Mn, an aqueous solution including an ammonium-ion donor, and an alkali solution into a reaction tank, and mixing, then nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles are crystallized. When doing this, the oxygen concentration inside the reaction tank is controlled to be 3.0% by volume or greater, the temperature of the reaction aqueous solution is controlled to be 35° C. to 60° C., and the nickel-ion concentration is controlled to be 1,000 mg/L or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji YAMAJI, Takehide HONMA, Ryozo USHIO
  • Publication number: 20160308207
    Abstract: Obtaining cobalt hydroxide particles having a high filling property and a high density. The cobalt hydroxide particles used as a precursor for a positive electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including spherical secondary particles of flocculated primary particles, wherein average aspect ratio of the secondary particles is 0.7 or more, average particle diameter is 5 to 35 ?m, and a value of (d90-d10)/MV indicating a dispersion of a particle size distribution is 0.6 or less, wherein, in sectional observation of the secondary particles, a ratio (N/L) of number (N) of gaps with maximum long diameter 0.3 ?m or more recognized in particles of the secondary particles with sectional long diameter 3 ?m or more to sectional long diameter (L) of the secondary particles is 1.0 or less, and also, maximum long diameter of the gaps is 15% or less of sectional long diameter of the secondary particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru YAMAUCHI, Kazuomi RYOSHI, Shuzo OZAWA, Ryozo USHIO