Positive electrode active material containing lithium composite oxide and covering material and battery

Abstract

A positive electrode active material includes a lithium composite oxide and a covering material that covers a surface of the lithium composite oxide. The covering material has an electron conductivity of 106 S/m or less. The lithium composite oxide is a multiphase mixture including a first phase having a first crystal structure that belongs to a space group Fm-3m and a second phase having a second crystal structure that belongs to a space group other than a space group Fm-3m. The ratio I(18°-20°)/I(43°-46°) of a first integrated intensity I(18°-20°) of a first maximum peak present at a first diffraction angle 2θ of 18° or more and 20° or less to a second integrated intensity I(43°-46°) of a second maximum peak present at a second diffraction angle 2θ of 43° or more and 46° or less in an XRD pattern of the lithium composite oxide satisfies 0.05≤I(18°-20°)/I(45°-46°)≤0.90.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A positive electrode active material comprising:
 a lithium composite oxide; and   a covering material that covers a surface of the lithium composite oxide,   wherein the covering material has an electron conductivity of 10 6  S/m or less,   the lithium composite oxide is a multiphase mixture, in which a plurality of first regions constituted by a first phase and a plurality of second regions constituted by a second phase are three-dimensionally mixed in a random manner, the first phase having a first crystal structure that belongs to a space group Fm-3m, the second phase having a second crystal structure that belongs to a space group other than a space group Fm-3m, and   a ratio I (18°-20°) /I (43°-46°)  of a first integrated intensity I (18°-20°)  of a first maximum peak present at a first diffraction angle 2θ of 18° or more and 20° or less to a second integrated intensity I (43°-46°)  of a second maximum peak present at a second diffraction angle 2θ of 43° or more and 46° or less in an XRD pattern of the lithium composite oxide satisfies 0.05≤I (18°-20°) /I (43°-46°) ≤0.90.   
     
     
         2 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the covering material is an inorganic material.   
     
     
         3 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a mass ratio of the covering material to the lithium composite oxide is 0.2 or less.   
     
     
         4 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the mass ratio of the covering material to the lithium composite oxide is 0.01 or more and 0.1 or less.   
     
     
         5 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the covering material has a thickness of 0.1 nm or more and 2.0 nm or less.   
     
     
         6 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the covering material forms a solid solution with at least a part of the surface of the lithium composite oxide.   
     
     
         7 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the covering material is an oxide.   
     
     
         8 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the oxide is represented by a formula LiaAbOc,   where A is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, Nb, Mo, Ti, Al, Cr, Zr, Zn, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Pt, Au, B, P, Eu, Sm, Ce, and H; and  0 ≤a≤3, 0.5≤b≤4, and 1≤c≤4.   
     
     
         9 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the oxide is at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , ZnO, TiO 2 , and SiO 2 .   
     
     
         10 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second crystal structure of the second phase belongs to at least one selected from the group consisting of space groups Fd-3m, R-3m, and C2/m.   
     
     
         11 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the second crystal structure of the second phase belongs to a space group Fd-3m.   
     
     
         12 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein 0.10≤I (18°-20°) /I (43°-46°) ≤0.70.   
     
     
         13 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the lithium composite oxide contains manganese.   
     
     
         14 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the lithium composite oxide contains fluorine.   
     
     
         15 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an average composition of the lithium composite oxide is represented by a formula Li x Me y O α Q β ,   where Me is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, V, Nb, Mo, Ti, Cr, Zr, Zn, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Pt, Au, Ag, Ru, W, B, Si, P, and Al; Q is at least one selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, N, and S; and 1.05≤x≤1.4, 0.6≤y≤0.95, 1.2≤α≤2, and 0≤β≤0.8.   
     
     
         16 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein 1.1≤x≤1.25 and 0.75≤y≤0.8.   
     
     
         17 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein 1.33≤α≤1.9 and 0.1≤β≤0.67.   
     
     
         18 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein 2≤α/β≤5.   
     
     
         19 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 , further comprising the lithium composite oxide as a main component. 
     
     
         20 . The positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second crystal structure of the second phase belongs to a space group Fd-3m, R-3m, or C2/m, and   the lithium composite oxide is a two-phase mixture including the first phase and the second phase.   
     
     
         21 . A battery comprising:
 a positive electrode containing the positive electrode active material according to  claim 1 ;   a negative electrode; and   an electrolyte.   
     
     
         22 . The battery according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the negative electrode contains:
 a negative electrode active material that allows a lithium ion to be inserted therein and released therefrom; or 
 a material that allows lithium metal to be dissolved and deposited thereon, and 
   the electrolyte is a nonaqueous electrolytic solution.   
     
     
         23 . The battery according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the negative electrode contains:
 a negative electrode active material that allows a lithium ion to be inserted therein and released therefrom: or 
 a material that allows lithium metal to be dissolved and deposited thereon, and 
   the electrolyte is a solid electrolyte.