Granted Patent B2

US 12,651,745 · App. 17/769,716 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventors: Alexander S. Groombridge (Cambridge, GB); Jean De La Verpilliere (Cambridge, GB); Sumithra Santhanam (Cambridge, GB); Wanwei Zhang (Cambridge, GB); Maurits E. Houck (Cambridge, GB)

Assignee: Echion Technologies Limited

H01M4/485C01G33/00C01G33/006C01G37/00C01G39/00C01G41/00C01G41/006C01G45/00C01G49/0018C01G49/0045H01M4/0459H01M4/0471H01M4/131H01M4/1391H01M4/366H01M4/625H01M10/0525H01M10/054H01M10/44C01P2002/72C01P2002/82C01P2002/88C01P2004/51C01P2004/61C01P2004/62C01P2004/64C01P2004/84C01P2006/10C01P2006/12C01P2006/40H01M2004/021H01M2004/027Y02E60/10

Abstract

Claims (59)

1 . An active electrode material expressed by the general formula [M][Nb] y [O] z ;

wherein the active electrode material is oxygen deficient;

wherein M consists of one of Mg, Cr, W, Mo, Cu, Ga, Ge, Ca, K, Ni, Co, Al, Sn, Mn, Ce, Sb, Y, La, Hf, Ta, Zn, In, or Cd;

y satisfies 0.5≤y≤49; and

z satisfies 4≤z≤124,

wherein at least some of the active electrode material has a Wadsley-Roth crystal structure.

2 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein z is defined as z=(z′−z′α) wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

3 . The active electrode material according to any preceding claim 1 , wherein M consists of one of Mo, W, Al, Zn, Ga, Ge, Ta, Cr, Cu, K, Mg, Ni, or Hf.

4 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , expressed by the general formula [M] x [Nb] y [O] (z′−z′α) , selected from the group consisting of:

MoNb 12 O (33-33 α)

WNb 12 O (33-33 α)

Zn 12 Nb 34 O (87-87 α)

Cu 2 Nb 34 O (87-87 α)

AlNb 11 O (29-29 α)

GaNb 11 O (29-29 α)

GeNb 18 O (47-47 α)

W 5 Nb 16 O (55-55 α)

AlNb 49 O (124-124 α)

GaNb 49 O (124-124 α)

wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

5 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , expressed by the general formula [M] x [Nb] y [O] (z′−z′α) , selected from the group consisting of:

MoNb 12 O (33-33 α)

WNb 12 O (33-33 α)

Zn 2 Nb 34 O (87-87 α)

AlNb 11 O (29-29 α)

GeNb 18 O (47-47 α)

wherein α satisfies 0≤α≤0.05.

6 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , expressed by the general formula [M]x[Nb] y [O] (z′−z′α) , selected from the group consisting of:

MoNb 12 O (33-33 α)

WNb 12 O (33-33 α)

wherein α satisfies 0≤α≤0.05.

7 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material has the formula MoNb 12 O (33-33 α) wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

8 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material has the formula WNb 12 O (33-33 α) wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

9 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material has the formula W 5 Nb 6 O (55-55 α) wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

10 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material has the formula Zn 2 Nb 34 O (87-87 α) wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

11 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material has the formula AlNb 11 O (29-29 α) wherein α satisfies 0<α<0.05.

12 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material is expressed by the general formula [W][Nb] y [O] z .

13 . The active electrode material according to any preceding claim 1 , wherein the crystal structure of the active electrode material as determined by X-ray diffraction corresponds to the crystal structure of the unmodified form of the active electrode material, wherein the unmodified form is expressed by the general formula [M][Nb] y [O] z wherein the unmodified form is not oxygen deficient, wherein the unmodified form is selected from M2 I Nb 5 O 13 , M2 I 6 Nb 10.8 O 30 , M2 II Nb 2 O 6 , M2 II 2 Nb 34 O 87 , M2 III Nb 11 O 29 , M2 III Nb 49 O 124 , M2 IV Nb 24 O 62 , M2 IV Nb 2 O 7 , M2 IV 2 Nb 10 O 29 , M2 IV 2 Nb 14 O 39 , M2 IV Nb 14 O 37 , M2 IV Nb 6 O 17 , M2 IV Nb 18 O 47 , M2 V Nb 9 O 25 , M2 V 4 Nb 18 O 55 , M2 V 3 Nb 17 O 50 , M2 VI Nb 12 O 33 , M2 VI 4 Nb 26 O 77 , M2 VI 3 Nb 14 O 44 , M2 VI 5 Nb 16 O 55 , M2 VI 8 Nb 18 O 69 , M2 VI Nb 2 O 8 , M2 VI 20 Nb 22 O 115 , M2 VI 82 Nb 54 O 381 , M2 VI 31 Nb 20 O 143 , M2 VI 15 Nb 2 O 50 , M2 VI 3 Nb 2 O 14 , and M2 VI 11 Nb 12 O 63 , wherein the numerals I, II, III, IV, V, and VI represent the oxidation state of M.

14 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the active electrode material has a Wadsley-Roth crystal structure.

15 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 wherein the active electrode material comprises a plurality of primary crystallites.

16 . The active electrode material according to claim 15 , wherein an average diameter of the primary crystallites is from 10 nm to 10 μm.

17 . The active electrode material according to claim 15 , wherein some or all of the primary crystallites are agglomerated into secondary particles, and an average diameter of the secondary particles is from 1 μm to 30 μm.

18 . The active electrode material according to claim 17 , wherein the active electrode material comprises a carbon coating formed on the surface of the primary crystallites and/or secondary particles.

19 . The active electrode material according to claim 18 wherein the carbon coating is present in an amount of up to 5 w/w%, based on the total weight of the active electrode material.

20 . The active electrode material according to claim 1 , wherein the active electrode material has a BET surface area in the range of 0.1-100 m 2 /g, or 0.5-50 m 2 /g, or 1-20 m 2 /g.

21 . An active electrode material according to claim 1 wherein the crystal structure of the active electrode material, as determined by X-ray diffraction analysis, corresponds to the crystal structure of one or more of:

MoNb 12 O 33

WNb 12 O 33

Zn 2 Nb 34 O 87

CU 2 Nb 34 O 87

AlNb 11 O 29

GaNb 11 O 29

GeNb 18 O 47

W 5 Nb 16 O 55

AlNb 49 O 124

GaNb 49 O 124.

22 . An active electrode material according to claim 1 , further comprising Li and/or Na.

23 . An electrochemical device comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode comprises the electrode active material according to claim 1 .

24 . The electrode active material according to claim 12 , wherein the active electrode material is selected from WNb 12 O (33-33α) , and W 5 Nb 16 O (55-55α) wherein α satisfies 0<α≤0.05.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (5)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (214)