Patents by Inventor Kensaku Mori

Kensaku Mori 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: 10573886
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery achieves high output characteristics and battery capacity, and allows a high electrode density to be achieved in the case of using the material for a positive electrode of a battery; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery uses the positive electrode active material, thereby achieving a high output with a high capacity. Prepared is a nickel composite hydroxide including plate-shaped secondary particles aggregated with overlaps between plate surfaces of multiple plate-shaped primary particles, where shapes projected from directions perpendicular to the plate surfaces of the plate-shaped primary particles are any plane projection shape of spherical, elliptical, oblong, and massive shapes, and the secondary particles have an aspect ratio of 3 to 20, and a volume average particle size (Mv) of 4 ?m to 20 ?m measured by a laser diffraction scattering method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamauchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Publication number: 20200044250
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles having a small particle diameter and a uniform particle size distribution, and a method for producing the same. A method for producing a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction is provided. The method includes: a nucleation step of performing nucleation by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation including metal compounds containing nickel, cobalt and manganese, and an ammonium ion donor to 12.0 to 14.0 in teams of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard; and a particle growth step of growing nuclei by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing nuclei formed in the nucleation step to 10.5 to 12.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicants: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TOYA, Shin IMAIZUMI, Kensaku MORI, Atsushi FUKUI, Kenji IKEUCHI, Kazuomi RYOSHI, Toshiyuki OSAKO, Hiroki NAGAI
  • Patent number: 10516165
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles having a small particle diameter and a uniform particle size distribution, and a method for producing the same. A method for producing a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction is provided. The method includes: a nucleation step of performing nucleation by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation including metal compounds containing nickel, cobalt and manganese, and an ammonium ion donor to 12.0 to 14.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard; and a particle growth step of growing nuclei by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing nuclei formed in the nucleation step to 10.5 to 12.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignees: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toya, Shin Imaizumi, Kensaku Mori, Atsushi Fukui, Kenji Ikeuchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Toshiyuki Osako, Hiroki Nagai
  • Patent number: 10516164
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to easily provide at low cost, a cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which exhibits high particle strength and high weather resistance, while enabling achievement of excellent charge and discharge capacity and excellent output characteristics in cases where the cathode active material is used as a cathode material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A slurry of from 500 g/L to 2000 g/L is formed by adding water to a powder of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula (A): LizNi1-x-yCoxMyO2, where 0.10?x?0.20, 0?y?0.10, 0.97?z?1.20, and M represents at least one element selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al); the slurry is washed with water by stirring; and after filtration, the resulting material is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of from 120° C. to 550° C. (inclusive) in an oxygen atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 80% by volume or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko Nakayama, Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 10490815
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles having a small particle diameter and a uniform particle size distribution, and a method for producing the same. [Solution] A method for producing a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction is provided. The method includes: a nucleation step of performing nucleation by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation including metal compounds containing nickel, cobalt and manganese, and an ammonium ion donor to 12.0 to 14.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard; and a particle growth step of growing nuclei by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing nuclei formed in the nucleation step to 10.5 to 12.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toya, Shin Imaizumi, Kensaku Mori, Atsushi Fukui, Kenji Ikeuchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Toshiyuki Osako, Hiroki Nagai
  • Patent number: 10461312
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cathode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery with a high capacity, high stability and excellent output characteristics and a method for producing the same, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the cathode active material. The cathode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is represented by a general formula: LitNi1-x-y-zCoxAlyTizO2 wherein 0.98?t?1.10, 0<x?0.30, 0.03?y?0.15, 0.001?z?0.03; and includes a hexagonal lithium-containing composite oxide with a layer structure of secondary particles having primary particles, in which a titanium-enriched layer is formed on a surface of the primary particles and/or a grain boundary between the primary particles. The titanium-enriched layer on the surface of the primary particles and/or a grain boundary between the primary particles serves as a lithium ion conductor, yielding smooth extraction and insertion of lithium ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shin Imaizumi, Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 10347914
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a positive-electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that is capable of achieving both a high capacity and a high output. This positive-electrode active material contains a lithium-nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula: LibNi1-x-yCoxMyO2 wherein M represents at least one element selected from Al, Ti, Mn and W, b is 0.95?b?1.03, x is 0<x?0.15, y is 0<y?0.07, and x and y is x+y?0.16, wherein c-axis length of the lithium-nickel composite oxide is 14.185 angstrom or greater as determined by a Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko Nakayama, Masanori Takagi, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 10297825
    Abstract: Disclose herein are processes for producing a nickel cobalt aluminum composite hydroxide and producing a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. Nucleation is performed by controlling an aqueous solution for nucleation containing a nickel-containing metal compound, cobalt-containing metal compound, ammonium ion supplier, and aluminum source so that the aqueous solution's pH for nucleation is 12.0 to 13.4, and then in a particle growth step, particle growth is performed in an aqueous solution for particle growth obtained by controlling the aqueous solution for nucleation obtained in the nucleation step so that the pH of aqueous solution for nucleation is 10.5 to 12.0. Further, in nucleation step, an aqueous solution containing aluminum and sodium is used as the aluminum source contained in aqueous solution for nucleation, and the mole ratio of sodium to aluminum in aqueous solution containing aluminum and sodium is adjusted to 1.5 to 3.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuomi Ryoshi, Koji Yamaji, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 10177373
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including primary particles of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the formula: LibNi1-x-yCoxMyO2 wherein M represents at least one element selected from Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Nb, Zr and Mo; b represents a number satisfying 0.95?b?1.03; and x represents a number satisfying 0<x?0.15 and y represents a number satisfying 0<y?0.07, wherein the sum total of x and y is 0.16 or smaller, i.e., x+y?0.16) and secondary particles that are aggregates of the primary particles, wherein microparticles containing W and Li are present on the surface of each of the primary particles, and the length of axis-c of the lithium nickel composite oxide is 14.183 angstroms or more as determined by a Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction data on the oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yokoyama, Yuki Furuichi, Tomoko Nakayama, Tetsufumi Komukai, Kensaku Mori, Mitsuru Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20180347069
    Abstract: Provided are nickel manganese composite hydroxide particles having a small and uniform particle size and having a double structure which enables to obtain a cathode active material having a hollow structure, and a manufacturing method thereof. When obtaining the nickel manganese composite hydroxide by a reaction crystallization, using an aqueous solution for nucleation, which includes at least a metallic compound that contains nickel, a metallic compound that contains manganese and an ammonium ion donor and controlling the pH value that is measured at a standard solution temperature of 25° C. is 10.5 to 12.0, nucleation is performed in an oxidizing atmosphere in which the oxygen concentration is greater than 1% by volume, and then nuclei are grown by switching the atmosphere from the oxidizing atmosphere to a mixed atmosphere of oxygen and inert gas in which the oxygen concentration is 1% by volume or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: SUMITO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TOYA, Kensaku MORI, Shin IMAIZUMI, Kenji IKEUCHI, Toshiyuki OSAKO
  • Publication number: 20180323428
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to easily provide at low cost, a cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which exhibits high particle strength and high weather resistance, while enabling achievement of excellent charge and discharge capacity and excellent output characteristics in cases where the cathode active material is used as a cathode material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A slurry of from 500 g/L to 2000 g/L is formed by adding water to a powder of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula (A): LizNi1-x-yCoxMyO2, where 0.10?x?0.20, 0?y?0.10, 0.97?z?1.20, and M represents at least one element selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al); the slurry is washed with water by stirring; and after filtration, the resulting material is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of from 120° C. to 550° C. (inclusive) in an oxygen atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 80% by volume or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko NAKAYAMA, Rei KOKADO, Kensaku MORI
  • Publication number: 20180316010
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a positive-electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that is capable of achieving both a high capacity and a high output. This positive-electrode active material contains a lithium-nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula: LibNi1-x-yCoxMyO2 wherein M represents at least one element selected from Al, Ti, Mn and W, b is 0.95?b?1.03, x is 0<x?0.15, y is 0<y?0.07, and x and y is x+y?0.16, wherein c-axis length of the lithium-nickel composite oxide is 14.185 angstrom or greater as determined by a Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko NAKAYAMA, Masanori TAKAGI, Kensaku MORI
  • Patent number: 10109849
    Abstract: A nickel composite hydroxide having a volume-average particle size of the secondary particles of 8.0 ?m to 50.0 ?m is obtained, by obtaining a nickel composite hydroxide slurry in a primary crystallization process by providing an aqueous solution having at least a nickel salt and a neutralizer into a reaction vessel while continuously stirring in a state of not containing a complex ion formation agent, and controlling the crystallization reaction so that the ratio of the volume-average particles size of secondary particles with respect to that of the secondary particles finally obtained is 0.2 to 0.6, and producing the nickel composite hydroxide in a secondary crystallization process by continuing the crystallization process while keeping the amount of the obtained slurry constant, continuously removing only the liquid component of the slurry, and performing control so that the slurry has a temperature of 70° C. to 90° C. and a pH value at a standard liquid temperature of 25° C. of 10.0 to 11.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 10090514
    Abstract: Provided is a positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, the positive-electrode material being capable of achieving both high capacity and high output when used for a positive electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries. Also, provided is a method for manufacturing the positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, wherein a lithium metal composite oxide powder is mixed with lithium tungstate, the lithium metal composite oxide powder being represented by a general formula LizNi1?x?yCoxMyO2 (wherein 0.10?x?0.35, 0?y?0.35, 0.97?z?1.20, and M is an addition element and at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al) and comprising primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori, Masanori Takagi, Tetsutaro Hayashi
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10056610
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to easily provide at low cost, a cathode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which exhibits high particle strength and high weather resistance, while enabling achievement of excellent charge and discharge capacity and excellent output characteristics in cases where the cathode active material is used as a cathode material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A slurry of from 500 g/L to 2000 g/L is formed by adding water to a powder of a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula (A): LizNi1?x?yCoxMyO2, where 0.10?x?0.20, 0?y?0.10, 0.97?z?1.20, and M represents at least one element selected from among Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti and Al); the slurry is washed with water by stirring; and after filtration, the resulting material is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of from 120° C. to 550° C. (inclusive) in an oxygen atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 80% by volume or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko Nakayama, Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 10050267
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a positive-electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that is capable of achieving both a high capacity and a high output. This positive-electrode active material contains a lithium-nickel composite oxide represented by the general formula: LibNi1-x-yCoxMyO2 wherein M represents at least one element selected from Al, Ti, Mn and W, b is 0.95?b?1.03, x is 0<x?0.15, y is 0<y?0.07, and x and y is x+y?0.16, wherein c-axis length of the lithium-nickel composite oxide is 14.185 angstrom or greater as determined by a Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko Nakayama, Masanori Takagi, Kensaku Mori
  • Publication number: 20180205080
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide particles having a small particle diameter and a uniform particle size distribution, and a method for producing the same. [Solution] A method for producing a nickel cobalt manganese composite hydroxide by a crystallization reaction is provided. The method includes: a nucleation step of performing nucleation by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation including metal compounds containing nickel, cobalt and manganese, and an ammonium ion donor to 12.0 to 14.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard; and a particle growth step of growing nuclei by controlling a pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing nuclei formed in the nucleation step to 10.5 to 12.0 in terms of the pH as measured at a liquid temperature of 25° C. as a standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicants: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TOYA, Shin Imaizumi, Kensaku Mori, Atsushi Fukui, Kenji Ikeuchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Toshiyuki Osako, Hiroki Nagai
  • Patent number: 10017875
    Abstract: Provided are nickel manganese composite hydroxide particles having a small and uniform particle size and having a double structure which enables to obtain a cathode active material having a hollow structure, and a manufacturing method thereof. When obtaining the nickel manganese composite hydroxide by a reaction crystallization, using an aqueous solution for nucleation, which includes at least a metallic compound that contains nickel, a metallic compound that contains manganese and an ammonium ion donor and controlling the pH value that is measured at a standard solution temperature of 25° C. is 10.5 to 12.0, nucleation is performed in an oxidizing atmosphere in which the oxygen concentration is greater than 1% by volume, and then nuclei are grown by switching the atmosphere from the oxidizing atmosphere to a mixed atmosphere of oxygen and inert gas in which the oxygen concentration is 1% by volume or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toya, Kensaku Mori, Shin Imaizumi, Kenji Ikeuchi, Toshiyuki Osako
  • Patent number: 9991505
    Abstract: Provided is a positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, the positive-electrode material being capable of achieving both high capacity and high output when used for a positive electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries. Also, provided is a method for manufacturing the positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, wherein a lithium metal composite oxide powder is mixed with lithium tungstate, the lithium metal composite oxide powder being represented by a general formula LizNi1-x-yCoxMyO2 (wherein 0.10?x?0.35, 0?y?0.35, 0.97?z?1.20, and M is an addition element and at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al) and comprising primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori, Masanori Takagi, Tetsutaro Hayashi