Lithium-ion battery materials with improved properties
View Patent ↗A cobalt-containing phosphate material can comprise lithium (Li) (or, alternatively or additionally other alkali metal(s)), cobalt (Co), phosphate (PO 4 ), and at least two additional metals other than Li and Co (e.g., as dopants and/or metal oxides), and can have a molar ratio of Co to a total amount of Co and the additional metals (e.g., as dopants and/or metal oxides) of at least 0.2, at least 0.3, at least 0.5, at least 0.7, or at least about 0.75. The cobalt-containing phosphate material can have a molar ratio of Co to a total amount of Co and the additional metals (e.g., as dopants and/or metal oxides) ranging from 0.2 to 0.98, from 0.3 to 0.98, from 0.3 to 0.94, from 0.5 to 0.98, from 0.5 to 0.94, or alternatively from 0.5 to 0.9, from 0.7 to 0.9, or from 0.75 to 0.85.
1. An electrode material comprising
an active material comprising (i) a first phase comprising lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), phosphate (PO 4 ), and at least one additional metal selected from titanium (Ti) or vanadium (V), wherein the active material has a molar ratio of Co to a total amount of Co, Fe, and the at least one additional metal of at least 0.70, and (ii) a second phase comprising a metal oxide wherein the metal in the metal oxide is the same metal as the at least one additional metal in the first phase,
the electrode material having its specific capacity at a voltage of 4.5 V which is at least 10% of its specific capacity at a voltage of 2.0 V, as measured upon discharge at a current of 7.5 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus a Li/Li+ counterelectrode.
2. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of Co is in the range of 0.7 to 0.98.
3. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein, as measured upon discharge at the current of 7.5 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus the Li/Li+ counterelectrode, the electrode material has its specific capacity at the voltage of 4.5 V which is at least 30% of its specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V.
4. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein, as measured upon discharge at the current of 7.5 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus the Li/Li+ counterelectrode, the electrode material has its specific capacity at the voltage of 4.5 V which is at least 50% of its specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V.
5. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein, as measured upon discharge at a current of 15 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus the Li/Li+ counterelectrode, the electrode material has its specific capacity at the voltage of 4.5 V which is at least 10% of its specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V.
6. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein, as measured upon discharge at a current of 75 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus the Li/Li+ counterelectrode, the electrode material has its specific capacity at the voltage of 4.5 V which is at least 10% of its specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V.
7. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein, as measured upon discharge at a current of 150 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus the Li/Li+ counterelectrode, the electrode material has its specific capacity at the voltage of 4.5 V which is at least 10% of its specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V.
8. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V is at least 130 mAh/g.
9. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V is at least 140 mAh/g.
10. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the specific capacity at the voltage of 2.0 V is at least 150 mAh/g.
11. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein, as measured upon discharge at the current of 7.5 mA/g from 4.95 V to 2.0 V versus the Li/Li+ counterelectrode, the electrode material has a specific energy of at least 500 Wh/kg.
12. The electrode material of claim 11 , wherein the specific energy is at least 550 Wh/kg.
13. The electrode material of claim 11 , wherein the specific energy is at least 600 Wh/kg.
14. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the additional metal is titanium (Ti).
15. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the additional metal is vanadium (V).
16. The electrode material of claim 1 , wherein the active material comprises lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), phosphate (PO 4 ), and titanium (Ti) in a molar ratio represented by Li 1.05 Co 0.8 Fe 0.1 Ti 0.1 PO 4 .