Lithium-ion battery materials with improved properties

Abstract

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 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An electrode material comprising:
 an active material comprising lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), phosphate (PO 4 ), and at least two additional metals other than Li and Co, and having a molar ratio of Co to a total amount of Co and the additional metals of at least 0.2, 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;   wherein at least one of the additional metals is a transition metal other than Co;   wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and silver (Ag); and   a coating over the active material, the coating comprising a material selected from the group consisting of an electrochemically inert material and a metal oxide.   
     
     
         21 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein the transition metal is Fe. 
     
     
         22 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein the additional metals include two different transition metals selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ti, V, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mo, Ta, W, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Ag. 
     
     
         23 . The electrode material of  claim 22 , wherein a first one of the two different transition metals is Fe. 
     
     
         24 . The electrode material of  claim 23 , wherein a second one of the two different transition metals is selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mo, Ta, and W. 
     
     
         25 . The electrode material of  claim 24 , wherein the second one of the two different transition metals is selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, and Nb. 
     
     
         26 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the additional metals is a rare earth element. 
     
     
         27 . The electrode material of  claim 26 , wherein the rare earth element is selected from the group consisting of yttrium (Y), scandium (Sc), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), and terbium (Tb). 
     
     
         28 . The electrode material of  claim 27 , wherein the rare earth element is selected from the group consisting of Y, La, and Ce. 
     
     
         29 .- 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein the electrode material includes an olivine phase including Li, Co, PO 4 , and at least one of the additional metals and wherein the olivine phase includes a first one of the additional metals, and the electrode material includes a secondary phase including a second one of the additional metals. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The electrode material of  claim 32 , wherein the secondary phase includes a phosphate of the second one of the additional metals. 
     
     
         35 . The electrode material of  claim 32 , wherein the secondary phase includes a hydroxide of the second one of the additional metals. 
     
     
         36 . The electrode material of  claim 32 , wherein the secondary phase includes a carbonate of the second one of the additional metals. 
     
     
         37 . The electrode material of  claim 32 , wherein the secondary phase includes a nitrate of the second one of the additional metals. 
     
     
         38 .- 182 . (canceled) 
     
     
         183 . The electrode material of  claim 20  comprising particles of the active material and a coating over at least a portion of an outer surface of the particles of the active material. 
     
     
         184 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein the coating material is an electrochemically inert material. 
     
     
         185 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein the coating material is a metal oxide. 
     
     
         186 . The electrode material of  claim 20 , wherein the coating material is an electrochemically inert metal oxide. 
     
     
         187 . The electrode material of  claim 185 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3  and TiO 2 . 
     
     
         188 . The electrode material of  claim 185 , wherein the metal oxide is SiO 2 . 
     
     
         189 . The electrode material of  claim 185 , wherein the metal oxide is ZrO 2 . 
     
     
         190 . The electrode material of  claim 185 , wherein the metal oxide is Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         191 .- 192 . (canceled)