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: 9954224
    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: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISH
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toya, Shin Imaizumi, Kensaku Mori, Atsushi Fukui, Kenji Ikeuchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Toshiyuki Osako, Hiroki Nagai
  • Publication number: 20180053933
    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: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuomi RYOSHI, Kensaku MORI
  • Patent number: 9882204
    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: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 9859557
    Abstract: Disclosed are: nickel complex hydroxide particles that have small and uniform particle diameters; and a method by which the nickel complex hydroxide particles can be produced. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing a nickel complex hydroxide by a crystallization reaction, which comprises: a nucleation step in which nucleation is carried out, while controlling an aqueous solution for nucleation containing an ammonium ion supplying material and a metal compound that contains nickel to have a pH of 12.0-13.4 at a liquid temperature of 25° C.; and a particle growth step in which nuclei are grown, while controlling an aqueous solution for particle growth containing the nuclei, which have been formed in the nucleation step, to have a pH of 10.5-12.0 at a liquid temperature of 25° C. In this connection, the pH in the particle growth step is controlled to be less than the pH in the nucleation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensaku Mori, Shin Imaizumi, Rei Kokado
  • Publication number: 20170338485
    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: August 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    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
  • Publication number: 20170324090
    Abstract: 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 m2/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuomi RYOSHI, Kensaku MORI, Katsuya KASE, Yasutaka KAMATA
  • Publication number: 20170309911
    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: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuomi RYOSHI, Koji YAMAJI, Kensaku MORI
  • Patent number: 9774036
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a positive active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having both thermal stability and charge-discharge capacity at a high level as well as excellent cycle characteristics. The method for manufacturing a positive active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: a step of adding a niobium salt solution and an acid simultaneously to a slurry of a nickel-containing hydroxide, and controlling the pH of the slurry at between 7 and 11 on a 25° C. basis to obtain a nickel-containing hydroxide coated with a niobium compound; a step of mixing the nickel-containing hydroxide coated with the niobium compound with a lithium compound to obtain a lithium mixture; and a step of firing the lithium mixture in an oxidizing atmosphere at 700° C. to 830° C. to obtain a lithium-transition metal composite oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Takagi, Haruki Kaneda, Hiroko Oshita, Kensaku Mori
  • Publication number: 20170271653
    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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru YAMAUCHI, Kazuomi RYOSHI, Kensaku MORI
  • Patent number: 9755232
    Abstract: A nickel composite hydroxide represented by Ni1-x-y-zCoxMnyMz(OH)2+A (where 0?x?0.35, 0?y?0.35, 0?z?0.1, 0<x+y, 0<x+y+z?0.7, 0?A?0.5, with M being at least one of V, Mg, Al, Ti, Mo, Nb, Zr and W), a plate-shaped crystal core is generated by allowing a crystal core generating aqueous solution containing cobalt and/or manganese to have a pH value of 7.5 to 11.1 at a standard liquid temperature of 25° C., and slurry for the particle growth containing the plate-shaped crystal core is adjusted to a pH value of 10.5 to 12.5 at a standard liquid temperature of 25° C., while a mixed aqueous solution containing a metal compound containing at least nickel is being supplied thereto, so that the crystal core is grown as particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 9685656
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency. When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamauchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Publication number: 20170133677
    Abstract: Provided is a precursor of a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries which allows a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery to have excellent battery characteristics. A manganese composite hydroxide is obtained by adjusting the pH value of an aqueous solution for nucleation containing cobalt and/or manganese to 7.5 to 11.1 on the basis of a liquid temperature of 25° C. to form plate-shaped crystal nuclei, and adjusting the pH value of a slurry for particle growth containing the plate-shaped crystal nuclei to 10.5 to 12.5 on the basis of a liquid temperature of 25° C., and supplying a mixed aqueous solution including a metal compound containing at least manganese to the slurry, thereby performing particle growth of the plate-shaped crystal nuclei.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuomi RYOSHI, Kensaku MORI
  • Publication number: 20170104208
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency. When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: MITSURU YAMAUCHI, KAZUOMI RYOSHI, KENSAKU MORI
  • Publication number: 20170098821
    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: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori, Masanori Takagi, Tetsutaro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9583764
    Abstract: When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.6, after which, while keeping the amount of slurry constant and continuously removing only the liquid component, the crystallization reaction is continued until the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of the nickel composite hydroxide becomes 8.0 ?m to 50.0 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamauchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Publication number: 20170054147
    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: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yokoyama, Yuki Furuichi, Tomoko Nakayama, Tetsufumi Komukai, Kensaku Mori, Mitsuru Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9559351
    Abstract: A method for producing nickel composite hydroxide particles may include: a first step of producing nuclei including primary particles by controlling the pH of an aqueous solution for nucleation, the aqueous solution for nucleation containing a metal compound having an atomic ratio of metals corresponding to an atomic ratio of metals in the nickel composite hydroxide particles and substantially not containing a metal complex ion-forming agent; and a second step of forming, on an outer surface of each of the nuclei, an outer shell portion including platy primary particles larger than primary particles of the nuclei by controlling the pH of an aqueous solution for particle growth containing the nuclei obtained in the nucleation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensaku Mori, Rei Kokado, Shin Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 9553312
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency. When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamauchi, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Publication number: 20160268605
    Abstract: Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency. When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: MITSURU YAMAUCHI, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Kensaku Mori
  • Patent number: 9406928
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing the positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, the method comprising: a first step, wherein an alkaline solution with a tungsten compound dissolved therein is added to and mixed with a lithium metal composite oxide powder 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 at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al), including primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles, and thereby W is dispersed on a surface of the primary particles; and a second step, wherein, by heat treating the mixture of the alkaline solution with the tungsten compound dissolved therein and the lithium metal composite oxide powder, fine particles containing W and Li are formed on a surface of the primary particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rei Kokado, Kensaku Mori