Patents by Inventor Taira Aida

Taira Aida 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: 12087943
    Abstract: Provided is a precursor of a positive electrode active material containing, in a reduced amount, impurities which do not contribute to a charge/discharge reaction but rather corrode a firing furnace and peripheral equipment and thus having excellent battery characteristics and safety, and production method thereof. A method for producing a precursor of a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries having a hollow structure or porous structure includes obtaining the precursor by washing nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles having a particular composition ratio and a pore structure in which pores are present within the particles with an aqueous carbonate solution having a carbonate concentration of 0.1 mol/L or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taira Aida, Hiroyuki Toya
  • Publication number: 20240266526
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite oxide that can achieve a high low-temperature output characteristic, a method for manufacturing the same, and a positive electrode active material in which the generation of soluble lithium is suppressed and a problem of gelation is not caused during the paste preparation. A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle, wherein the secondary particle has a hollow structure inside as a main inside structure, the slurry pH is 11.5 or less, the soluble lithium content rate is 0.5 [% by mass] or less, the specific surface area is 2.0 to 3.0 [m2/g], and the porosity is 20 to 50 [%].
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2024
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO.,LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20240234710
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite oxide that can achieve a high low-temperature output characteristic, a method for manufacturing the same, and a positive electrode active material in which the generation of soluble lithium is suppressed and a problem of gelation is not caused during the paste preparation. A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle, wherein the secondary particle has a hollow structure inside as a main inside structure, the slurry pH is 11.5 or less, the soluble lithium content rate is 0.5 [% by mass] or less, the specific surface area is 2.0 to 3.0 [m2/g], and the porosity is 20 to 50 [%].
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • Patent number: 11967709
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite oxide that can achieve a high low-temperature output characteristic, a method for manufacturing the same, and a positive electrode active material in which the generation of soluble lithium is suppressed and a problem of gelation is not caused during the paste preparation. A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle, wherein the secondary particle has a hollow structure inside as a main inside structure, the slurry pH is 11.5 or less, the soluble lithium content rate is 0.5 [% by mass] or less, the specific surface area is 2.0 to 3.0 [m2/g], and the porosity is 20 to 50 [%].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20240006591
    Abstract: A mixing process of mixing a lithium-transition metal composite oxide with lithium phosphate; a milling process of applying mechanical stress to a mixture obtained in the mixing process to form the lithium-transition metal composite oxide having a layered crystal structure and the lithium phosphate into an amorphous or low-crystalline NiO-like rock-salt type crystal structure; and a heat treatment process of subjecting the mixture to a heat treatment to obtain a lithium-transition metal composite oxide having a layered rock-salt type crystal structure in which lithium phosphate is finely crystallized and dispersed, wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide is represented by a general formula: LisNi1-x-y-zCoxMnyMzO2+?, and the crystallized lithium phosphate covers a surface of a primary particle of the lithium-transition metal composite oxide, and is dispersed inside or on a surface of a secondary particle of the lithium-transition metal composite oxide having the layered rock-salt type crystal stru
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicants: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD., NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION YOKOHAMA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Taira AIDA, Naoaki YABUUCHI
  • Patent number: 11855283
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of evaluating a characteristic of a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle. The secondary particle has a porous internal structure. The characteristic being evaluated is a slurry pH, a soluble lithium content rate, or a porosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20230369580
    Abstract: Provided is a precursor of a positive electrode active material containing, in a reduced amount, impurities which do not contribute to a charge/discharge reaction but rather corrode a firing furnace and peripheral equipment and thus having excellent battery characteristics and safety, and production method thereof. A method for producing a precursor of a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries having a hollow structure or porous structure includes obtaining the precursor by washing nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles having a particular composition ratio and a pore structure in which pores are present within the particles with an aqueous carbonate solution having a carbonate concentration of 0.1 mol/L or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taira Aida, Hiroyuki Toya
  • Patent number: 11784310
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt composite oxide in which the reactivity between a lithium raw material and a metal composite hydroxide is improved so that a high low-temperature output characteristic can be achieved, a method for manufacturing the composite oxide, and a positive electrode active material and the like without causing a problem of gelation during the paste preparation. A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle. The secondary particle has a solid structure inside as a main inside structure, the slurry pH is 11.5 or less, the soluble lithium content rate is 0.5 [% by mass] or less, and the specific surface area is 1.0 to 2.0 [m2/g].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • Patent number: 11742479
    Abstract: Provided is a precursor of a positive electrode active material containing, in a reduced amount, impurities which do not contribute to a charge/discharge reaction but rather corrode a firing furnace and peripheral equipment and thus having excellent battery characteristics and safety, and production method thereof. A method for producing a precursor of a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries having a hollow structure or porous structure includes obtaining the precursor by washing nickel-manganese composite hydroxide particles having a particular composition ratio and a pore structure in which pores are present within the particles with an aqueous carbonate solution having a carbonate concentration of 0.1 mol/L or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taira Aida, Hiroyuki Toya
  • Publication number: 20230135908
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal composite hydroxide, which includes a first crystallization process of obtaining first metal composite hydroxide particles by supplying a first raw material aqueous solution containing a metal element and an ammonium ion donor to a reaction tank, adjusting a pH of a reaction aqueous solution in the reaction tank, and performing a crystallization reaction and a second crystallization process of forming a tungsten-concentrated layer on a surface of the first metal composite hydroxide particles and obtaining second metal composite hydroxide particles by supplying a second raw material aqueous solution containing a metal element and a more amount of tungsten than the first raw material aqueous solution and an ammonium ion donor to a reaction aqueous solution containing the first metal composite hydroxide particles, adjusting a pH of the reaction aqueous solution, and performing a crystallization reaction, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Takahashi, Hiroko Senba, Taira Aida
  • Patent number: 11605815
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite oxide that can achieve a high low-temperature output characteristic, a method for manufacturing the same, and a positive electrode active material in which the generation of soluble lithium is suppressed and a problem of gelation is not caused during the paste preparation. A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle. The secondary particle has a porous structure inside as a main inside structure, the slurry pH is 11.5 or less, the soluble lithium content rate is 0.5[% by mass] or less, the specific surface area is 3.0 to 4.0 [m2/g], and the porosity is more than 50 to 80[%].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20230051717
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite oxide that can achieve a high low-temperature output characteristic, a method for manufacturing the same, and a positive electrode active material in which the generation of soluble lithium is suppressed and a problem of gelation is not caused during the paste preparation. A positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, including a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including a secondary particle configured by aggregating primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, or a lithium-metal composite oxide powder including both the primary particles and the secondary particle. The secondary particle has a porous structure inside as a main inside structure, the slurry pH is 11.5 or less, the soluble lithium content rate is 0.5 [% by mass] or less, the specific surface area is 3.0 to 4.0 [m2/g], and the porosity is more than 50 to 80 [%].
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko Oshita, Kazuomi Ryoshi, Taira Aida, Koji Yamaji, Jiro Okada
  • 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: 11411210
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a lithium metal composite oxide, wherein the lithium metal composite oxide is represented by a general formula: LiaNi1-x-y-zCoxDyEzO2 (wherein, in the formula, 0.05?x?0.35, 0?y?0.35, 0.002?z?0.05, 1.00?a?1.30, an element D is at least one type of element selected from Mn, V, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W, and an element E is an element forming an alloy with lithium at a potential more noble than a potential in which ions of the element E are reduced), wherein the lithium metal composite oxide includes primary and secondary particles formed by aggregating the primary particles, wherein an oxide containing the element E exists at a surface of at least either of the primary and secondary particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Toma, Atsushi Fukui, Taira Aida, Tetsufumi Komukai
  • Patent number: 11404690
    Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a lithium transition metal-containing composite oxide, comprising secondary particles formed by aggregates of primary particles. The secondary particles comprise: an outer-shell section formed by an aggregate of the primary particles; at least one aggregate section formed by an aggregate of primary particles and existing on an inside of the outer-shell section, and electrically and structurally connected to the outer-shell section; and at least one space section existing on the inside of the outer-shell section and in which there are no primary particles. The average particle size of the secondary particles being within the range 1 ?m to 15 ?m, an index [(d90-d10)/average particle size] that indicates a spread of a particle size distribution of the secondary particles being 0.7 or less, and the surface area per unit volume being 1.7 m2/cm3 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Toma, Taira Aida, Tetsufumi Komukai, Yasutaka Kamata
  • Patent number: 11374210
    Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode material that allows reducing battery resistance. The positive electrode material disclosed herein has particles of a positive electrode active material, each having a void communicating between the surface and at least the interior; and an electronic conductor present on the surface of the particles of the positive electrode active material. The positive electrode active material has a layered rock salt structure, and has a composition represented by Formula (I) below. The electronic conductor has a composition represented by Formula (II) below, Li1+uNixMnyCozMtO2??(I) La1?pMapCo1?qMbqO3????(II) wherein the symbols in the formulas are as defined in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuta Sugiura, Taira Aida, Tetsutaro Hayashi, Satoshi Kanada
  • Patent number: 11283072
    Abstract: Transition metal composite hydroxide particles as a precursor to a cathode active material for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery, where the transition metal composite hydroxide has secondary particles formed by an aggregation of plate-shaped primary particles and fine primary particles, are described. The secondary particles have a center section formed by the plate-shaped primary particles, a layered structure with a low-density section formed by the fine primary particles, and a high-density section formed by the plate-shaped primary particles on the outside of the center section. The average value of the ratio of the center section outer diameter to the particle size of the secondary particles is 30% to 80%, and the average value of the ratio of the high-density section radial direction thickness to the particle size of the secondary particles is 5% to 25%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Kamata, Taira Aida, Hiroyuki Toya
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11108042
    Abstract: A positive electrode composite material for a lithium ion secondary battery that makes it possible to appropriately reduce the electric resistance in a positive electrode and to realize a high-performance lithium ion secondary battery. The positive electrode composite material to be used in the positive electrode of the lithium ion secondary battery includes a particulate positive electrode active material composed of a lithium composite oxide having a layered crystal structure including at least lithium, and a conductive oxide. Here, a particulate region where primary particles of the conductive oxide are aggregated, and a film-shaped region where the conductive oxide is formed in a film shape adhere to at least a part of the surface of the positive electrode active material. The average particle diameter based on cross-sectional TEM observation of primary particles in the particulate region is equal to or greater than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Horikawa, Ryuta Sugiura, Taira Aida, Satoshi Kanada
  • Patent number: 11024839
    Abstract: A transition metal-containing composite hydroxide comprises secondary particles having: a center portion of fine primary particles; and an outer-shell portion having a high-density layer of plate-shaped primary particles formed outside the center portion, a low-density layer of the fine primary particles formed outside the high-density layer, and an outer-shell layer of the plate-shaped primary particles formed outside the low-density layer. The composite hydroxide is obtained by a method comprising a nucleation step in an oxidizing atmosphere and a particle growth step, the particle growth step comprising: a first stage of maintaining the oxidizing atmosphere; a second stage of switching to and maintaining a non-oxidizing atmosphere; a third stage of switching again to and maintaining the oxidizing atmosphere; and a fourth stage of switching again to and maintaining the non-oxidizing atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Toma, Hiroko Senba, Taira Aida, Tetsufumi Komukai