Method for recovering capacity of lithium ion battery

1. A method for recovering capacity of a lithium ion battery including

a positive electrode containing a first active material and a second active material which is base in terms of electrode potential as compared with the first active material,

a negative electrode,

an electrolytic solution, and

a lithium ion replenishing electrode for releasing lithium ions, the method comprising:

a determination step of comparing charge/discharge characteristics in an initial stage of the lithium ion battery with charge/discharge characteristics at a time of determination after a lapse of a predetermined period from the initial stage to determine a cause of degradation of the lithium ion battery,

wherein if charge/discharge capacity in the initial stage and charge/discharge capacity at the time of determination, when electrode potential corresponding to the first active material is held as a potential difference between the positive electrode and the negative electrode during charging or discharging of the lithium ion battery, are equivalent to each other, and if the charge/discharge capacity, when electrode potential corresponding to the second active material is held as the potential difference, is lower at the time of determination than in the initial stage, it is determined that the cause of degradation is a decrease in lithium ions;

a calculation step of calculating an amount of the decrease in lithium ions based on a difference between the charge/discharge capacity at the time of determination and the charge/discharge capacity in the initial stage when the electrode potential corresponding to the second active material is held as the potential difference; and

a replenishment step of connecting the lithium ion replenishing electrode to the positive electrode or the negative electrode to release lithium ions corresponding to the amount of the decrease from the lithium ion replenishing electrode, thereby replenishing the lithium ion battery with lithium ions.

2. The method for recovering capacity of a lithium ion battery according to claim 1 , wherein

if, in the determination step, the charge/discharge capacity, when electrode potential corresponding to the first active material is held as the potential difference, is found to be lower at the time of determination than in the initial stage,

the amount of the decrease in lithium ions is not calculated in the calculation step, and the lithium ion replenishing electrode and the positive electrode or the negative electrode are not connected together in the replenishment step.

3. The method for recovering capacity of a lithium ion battery according to claim 1 , wherein

if, in the determination step, the potential difference is found to be lower than the electrode potential corresponding to the second active material,

the amount of the decrease in lithium ions is not calculated in the calculation step, and the lithium ion replenishing electrode and the positive electrode or the negative electrode are not connected together in the replenishment step.

4. The method for recovering capacity of a lithium ion battery according to claim 1 , wherein

an amount of electrons for releasing lithium ions corresponding to the amount of the decrease is calculated in the calculation step,

a detection step of detecting whether or not a current corresponding to the amount of electrons has flowed from the positive electrode or the negative electrode into the lithium ion replenishing electrode is further provided, and

when it is detected in the detection step that the current corresponding to the amount of electrons has flowed in, connection between the lithium ion replenishing electrode and the positive electrode or the negative electrode is released in the replenishment step.