Lithium manganese compounds and methods of making the same
View Patent ↗Electrode materials such as Li x MnO 2 where 0.2<x≦2 compounds for use with rechargeable lithium ion batteries can be formed by mixing LiMn 2 O 4 compounds or manganese dioxide compounds with lithium metal or stabilized and non-stabilized lithium metal powders.
1. A method for forming Li x MnO 2 , comprising mixing an LiMn 2 O 4 compound with stabilized lithium metal powder in increments of one quarter of x or less to form Li x MnO 2 where 0.2<x≦2 wherein the crystalline structure of the LiMn 2 O 4 compound is maintained.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Li x MnO 2 compound is doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, titanium, zirconium, and chromium.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the Li x MnO 2 compound is formed by energetically mixing a LiMn 2 O 4 compound with lithium metal in a ball mill.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ball mill is a high energy ball mill.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein mixing the LiMn 2 O 4 compound with stabilized lithium metal powder further comprises mixing the LiMn 2 O 4 compound with the stabilized lithium metal powder in the presence of a solvent.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the solvent comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of acyclic hydrocarbons, cyclic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, symmetrical ethers, unsymmetrical ethers, and cyclic ethers.