U.S. patent application number 15/659665 was filed with the patent office on 2017-11-09 for positive electrode for nonaqueous secondary battery, method for forming the same, nonaqueous secondary battery, and electrical device.
The applicant listed for this patent is SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Takahiro KAWAKAMI, Mako MOTOYOSHI, Masaki YAMAKAJI, Rika YATABE.
Application Number | 20170324082 15/659665 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50622655 |
Filed Date | 2017-11-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170324082 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KAWAKAMI; Takahiro ; et
al. |
November 9, 2017 |
POSITIVE ELECTRODE FOR NONAQUEOUS SECONDARY BATTERY, METHOD FOR
FORMING THE SAME, NONAQUEOUS SECONDARY BATTERY, AND ELECTRICAL
DEVICE
Abstract
A positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery
including an active material layer which has sufficient electron
conductivity with a low ratio of a conductive additive is provided.
A positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery including
an active material layer which is highly filled with an active
material, id est, including the active material and a low ratio of
a conductive additive. The active material layer includes a
plurality of particles of an active material with a layered rock
salt structure, graphene that is in surface contact with the
plurality of particles of the active material, and a binder.
Inventors: |
KAWAKAMI; Takahiro; (Atsugi,
JP) ; YAMAKAJI; Masaki; (Atsugi, JP) ;
MOTOYOSHI; Mako; (Hadano, JP) ; YATABE; Rika;
(Atsugi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD. |
Atsugi-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
50622655 |
Appl. No.: |
15/659665 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14070636 |
Nov 4, 2013 |
9768443 |
|
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15659665 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 4/131 20130101;
H01M 4/133 20130101; H01M 4/1391 20130101; H01M 4/364 20130101;
H01M 4/1393 20130101; H01M 4/625 20130101; Y02E 60/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01M 4/1393 20100101
H01M004/1393; H01M 4/133 20100101 H01M004/133; H01M 4/131 20100101
H01M004/131; H01M 4/1391 20100101 H01M004/1391; H01M 4/36 20060101
H01M004/36; H01M 4/62 20060101 H01M004/62 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 7, 2012 |
JP |
2012-245467 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A positive electrode comprising: a current collector; and an
active material layer over the current collector, the active
material layer comprising: first particles of an active material
having a layered rock salt structure; and a piece of graphene,
wherein the first particles has an average primary particle
diameter of less than or equal to 3.0 .mu.m.
3. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein the active
material comprises lithium and a metal selected from nickel,
manganese and cobalt.
4. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein the active
material is selected from LiCoO.sub.2, LiNiO.sub.2, LiMnO.sub.2,
Li.sub.2MnO.sub.3, LiNi.sub.xCo.sub.1-xO.sub.2 (0<x<1),
LiNi.sub.xMn.sub.1-xO.sub.2 (0<x<1), and
LiNi.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.1-x-yO.sub.2 (x>0, y>0,
x+y<1).
5. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein the active
material layer comprises second particles of the active material
having a layered rock salt structure, and wherein the second
particles has a different average primary particle diameter from
the first particles.
6. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein a length of
one side of the piece of graphene is greater than or equal to 50 nm
and less than or equal to 100 .mu.m.
7. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein the piece
of graphene is a single layer or a multilayer including more than
or equal to 2 layers and less than or equal to 100 layers.
8. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein a weight
ratio of the piece of graphene to the active material layer is less
than 5.3 wt %.
9. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein the piece
of graphene covers surfaces of at least two of the first
particles.
10. The positive electrode according to claim 2, wherein the active
material is selected from lithium cobalt oxide, lithium manganese
oxide, lithium nickel oxide, and a complex of any of the lithium
cobalt oxide, the lithium manganese oxide, and the lithium nickel
oxide.
11. A nonaqueous secondary battery comprising the positive
electrode according to claim 2.
12. An electrical device comprising the nonaqueous secondary
battery according to claim 11, wherein the electrical device is one
of display devices, lighting devices, computers, word processors,
image reproduction devices, music reproduction devices, radio
receivers, recording reproduction devices, stereos, remote
controls, clocks, cordless phone handsets, transceivers,
mobilephones, earphones, game machines, pedometers, calculators,
portable information terminals, e-book readers, electronic
translators, audio input devices, cameras, toys, electric shavers,
electric toothbrushes, high-frequency heating appliances, electric
rice cookers, electric washing machines, electric vacuum cleaners,
water heaters, electric fans, hair dryers, air-conditioning
systems, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners, dishwashers, dish
dryers, clothes dryers, futon dryers, electric refrigerators,
freezers, flashlights, electric power tools, smoke detectors, a
health equipment, a medical equipment, industrial equipment, and
moving objects.
13. An electrode material comprising: a plurality of particles of
an active material having a layered rock salt structure; and a
piece of graphene, wherein the plurality of particles has an
average primary particle diameter of less than or equal to 3.0
.mu.m.
14. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the
active material is selected from lithium cobalt oxide, lithium
manganese oxide, lithium nickel oxide, and a complex of any of the
lithium cobalt oxide, the lithium manganese oxide, and the lithium
nickel oxide.
15. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the
active material comprises lithium, cobalt and oxygen.
16. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the
active material comprises lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and
oxygen.
17. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the piece
of graphene is a single layer or a multilayer including more than
or equal to 2 layers and less than or equal to 100 layers.
18. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the piece
of graphene covers surfaces of at least two of the plurality of
particles.
19. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the
graphene comprises oxygen.
20. The electrode material according to claim 13, wherein the
average primary particle diameter of the plurality of particles is
greater than or equal to 0.2 .mu.m.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a positive electrode for a
nonaqueous secondary battery and a method for forming the positive
electrode. Further, the present invention relates to a nonaqueous
secondary battery and an electrical device including the nonaqueous
secondary battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] In recent years, a variety of power storage devices, for
example, secondary batteries such as lithium-ion secondary
batteries, lithium-ion capacitors, and air cells have been actively
developed. In particular, demand for lithium-ion secondary
batteries with high output and high energy density has rapidly
grown with the development of the semiconductor industry, for
electrical devices, for example, portable information terminals
such as mobile phones, smartphones, and laptop computers, portable
music players, and digital cameras; medical equipment;
next-generation clean energy vehicles such as hybrid electric
vehicles (HEVs), electric vehicles (EVs), and plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles (PHEVs); and the like. The lithium-ion secondary
batteries are essential as rechargeable energy supply sources for
today's information society.
[0003] A lithium-ion secondary battery, which is one of nonaqueous
secondary batteries and widely used due to its high energy density,
includes a positive electrode including an active material such as
lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO.sub.2) or lithium iron phosphate
(LiFePO.sub.4), a negative electrode formed of a carbon material
such as graphite capable of occlusion and release of lithium ions,
a nonaqueous electrolyte solution in which an electrolyte formed of
a lithium salt such as LiBF.sub.4 or LiPF.sub.6 is dissolved in an
organic solvent such as ethylene carbonate or diethyl carbonate,
and the like. A lithium-ion secondary battery are charged and
discharged in such a way that lithium ions in the secondary battery
move between the positive electrode and the negative electrode
through the nonaqueous electrolyte solution and inserted into or
extracted from the active materials of the positive electrode and
the negative electrode.
[0004] A binder is mixed into the positive electrode or the
negative electrode in order that the active materials can be bound
or the active material and a current collector can be hound. Since
the hinder is generally an organic high molecular compound such as
poly vinylidene fluoride (PVdF) which has an insulating property,
the binder has extremely low electron conductivity
[0005] Hence, by mixing a conductive additive such as acetylene
black (AB) or graphite particles, the electron conductivity between
the active materials or between the active material and the current
collector can be improved. Thus, a positive electrode active
material with high electron conductivity can be provided (see
Patent Document 1).
REFERENCE
[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application
No. 2002-110162
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] However, acetylene black used as a conductive additive has
an average particle diameter of several tens of nanometers to
several hundreds of nanometers and is a high volume particle; thus,
contact with an active material easily becomes point contact.
Consequently, contact resistance between the active material and
the conductive additive is high. Further, if the weight ratio of
the conductive additive to the active material layer is increased
so as to increase contact points between the active material and
the conductive additive, the weight ratio of the active material to
the active material layer decreases, resulting in the lower
discharge capacity of the battery.
[0008] In the case where graphite particles are used as the
conductive additive, natural graphite is generally used in
consideration of cost. In such a case, iron, lead, copper, or the
like contained as an impurity in a graphite particle reacts with
the active material or the current collector, which might reduce
the voltage or capacity of the battery.
[0009] Further, as particles of the active material become minuter,
cohesion between the particles becomes stronger, which makes
uniform dispersion in the binder or the conductive additive
difficult. Consequently, a portion where active material particles
are aggregated and densely present and a portion where active
material particles are not aggregated and thinly present are
locally generated. In the portion where active material particles
are aggregated and the ratio of the conductive additive is low, the
active material particles do not contribute to formation of the
discharge capacity of the battery.
[0010] In view of the above problems, an object of one embodiment
of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode for a
nonaqueous secondary battery including an active material layer
having sufficient electron conductivity with a low ratio of a
conductive additive. Another object is to provide a positive
electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery including an active
material layer which is highly filled with an active material and
includes the active material at high density with a low ratio of a
conductive additive. Another object is to provide a nonaqueous
secondary battery having high capacity per electrode volume by
using the positive electrode for nonaqueous secondary battery.
[0011] One embodiment of the present invention can achieve at least
one of the objects set forth above.
[0012] In view of the above objects, one embodiment of the present
invention is a positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary
battery including a current collector and an active material layer
over the current collector. The active material layer includes a
plurality of particles of an active material with a layered rock
salt structure, graphene that is in surface contact with the
plurality of particles of the active material, and a binder.
[0013] Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for
forming a positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery;
including the steps of dispersing graphene oxide into a dispersion
medium including a polar solvent, forming a mixture by mixing an
active material having a layered rock salt structure with the
dispersion medium in which the graphene oxide is dispersed, forming
a paste by mixing a binder with the mixture, applying the paste to
a current collector, and forming the active material including
graphene over the current collector by reducing the graphene oxide
after or at the same time as volatilization of the dispersion
medium included in the applied paste.
[0014] A positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery
including an active material layer having sufficient electron
conductivity with a low ratio of a conductive additive is provided.
A positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery including
an active material layer which is highly filled with an active
material, id est including the active material and a low ratio of a
conductive additive is provided. With the use of the positive
electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery, a nonaqueous
secondary battery having high capacity per electrode volume is
provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a positive electrode.
[0016] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a positive electrode.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for forming an
active material.
[0018] FIGS. 4A to 4C illustrate dispersion states in a polar
solvent.
[0019] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate dispersion states in a polar
solvent.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method for forming a
positive electrode.
[0021] FIGS. 7A and 7B each illustrate a nonaqueous secondary
battery.
[0022] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a nonaqueous secondary
battery.
[0023] FIGS. 9A to 9C illustrate electrical devices.
[0024] FIGS. 10A to 10C illustrate an electrical device.
[0025] FIGS. 11A and 11B are SEM images of a positive electrode
active material layer.
[0026] FIGS. 12A and 12B are SEM images of a positive electrode
active material layer.
[0027] FIGS. 13A and 13B are SEM images of a positive electrode
active material layer.
[0028] FIG. 14 is a graph showing discharge characteristics.
[0029] FIGS. 15A and 15B are SEM images of a positive electrode
active material layer.
[0030] FIGS. 16A and 16B are SEM images of a positive electrode
active material layer.
[0031] FIG. 17 is a graph showing discharge characteristics.
[0032] FIGS. 18A and 18B are graphs each showing particle size
distribution before and after cracking.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] Embodiments and examples of the present invention are
described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that
the present invention is not limited to the description in the
embodiments and the examples, and it is easily understood by those
skilled in the art that modes and details of the present invention
can be modified in various ways. Therefore, the invention should
not be construed as being limited to the description in the
following embodiments and examples.
[0034] Note that in drawings used in this specification, the
thicknesses of films, layers, and substrates and the sizes of
components (e.g., the sizes of regions) are exaggerated for
simplicity in some cases. Therefore, the sizes of the components
are not limited to the sizes in the drawings and relative sizes
between the components.
[0035] Note that the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second"
in this specification and the like are used for convenience and do
not denote the order of steps, the stacking order of layers, or the
like. In addition, the ordinal numbers in this specification and
the like do not denote particular names which specify the present
invention.
[0036] Note that in structures of the present invention described
in this specification and the like, the same portions or portions
having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals
in different drawings, and descriptions thereof are not repeated.
In addition, the same hatching pattern is applied to portions
having similar functions, and the portions are not especially
denoted by reference numerals in some cases.
[0037] Note that in this specification and the like, a positive
electrode and a negative electrode for a secondary battery may be
collectively referred to as an electrode; the electrode in this
case refers to at least one of the positive electrode and the
negative electrode.
[0038] Note that in this specification and the like, a charging
rate C refers to the rate at which a secondary battery is charged.
For example, the charging rate in the case of charging a battery
having a capacity of 1 Ah with 1 A is 1 C. In addition, a
discharging rate C refers to the rate at which a secondary battery
is discharged. For example, the discharging rate in the case of
discharging a battery having a capacity of 1 Ah with 1 A is 1
C.
1. Structure of Positive Electrode for Nonaqueous Secondary
Battery
[0039] In this section, a positive electrode for a nonaqueous
secondary battery of one embodiment of the present invention is
described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B and FIGS. 2A and 2B.
FIG 1A is a perspective view of a positive electrode. FIG. 1B is a
longitudinal cross-sectional view of a positive electrode active
material layer.
[0040] In a positive electrode 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A, an
active material layer 102 is provided on both surfaces of a current
collector 101 that is a rectangular sheet (band).
1.1. Current Collector
[0041] Although the current collector 101 has a sheet-like shape in
FIG. 1A, the shape of the current collector 101 is not limited
thereto, and a given shape can be selected as appropriate. In
addition, although the active material layer 102 is provided on the
both surfaces of the current collector 101 in FIG. 1A, the active
material layer 102 may be formed on one of the surfaces of the
current collector 101. The active material layer 102 is not
necessarily formed over the entire surface of the current collector
101 and a region that is not coated, such as a region for
connection to a positive electrode tab, may be provided as
appropriate.
[0042] The current collector 101 can be formed using a highly
conductive material which is not alloyed with a carrier ion such as
an lithium ion, for example, a metal typified by gold, platinum,
zinc, iron, aluminum, or titanium, or an alloy of such a metal
(e.g., stainless steel). Alternatively, the current collector 101
can be formed using an aluminum alloy to which an element which
improves heat resistance, such as silicon, titanium, neodymium,
scandium, or molybdenum, is added. The current collector 101 can
have a foil-like shape, a plate-like shape (sheet-like shape), a
net-like shape, a punching-metal shape, an expanded-metal shape, or
the like as appropriate. The current collector 101 preferably has a
thickness of greater than or equal to 10 .mu.m and less than or
equal to 30 .mu.m.
1.2. Active Material Layer
[0043] FIG. 1B is a schematic view illustrating the longitudinal
cross-sectional view of the active material layer 102. The active
material layer 102 includes an active material 103 having a layered
rock salt structure, graphene 104, and a binder (not
illustrated).
1.2.1. Active Material with Layered Rock Salt Structure
[0044] A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous
secondary battery is a material into and from which carrier ions,
such as lithium ions, can be inserted and extracted. From the
beginning of the development of lithium-ion secondary batteries to
present, lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO.sub.2) has been widely used as
such an active material. Lithium cobalt oxide has a layered rock
salt structure.
1.2.1.1. Material for Active Material with Layered Rock Salt
Structure
[0045] The layered rock salt structure is also referred to as an
.alpha.-NaFeO.sub.2 type structure, and is a crystal structure
where an ion layer of a transition metal and a single layer of
lithium are alternately stacked with an oxide ion provided
therebetween. Since a diffusion path of lithium ions is two
dimensional in the layered rock salt structure, the layered rock
salt structure has conductivity and ionic conductivity higher than
those of an olivine structure having a one-dimensional diffusion
path. For this reason, lithium ions can be easily inserted and
extracted in charging and discharging; thus, an active material
with the layered rock salt structure is preferably used as a
positive electrode active material of a lithium-ion secondary
battery.
[0046] In addition to lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO.sub.2), examples
of such an active material having the layered rock salt structure
are LiNiO.sub.2; MnO.sub.2; Li.sub.2MnO.sub.3; an NiCo-based
complex oxide (a general formula thereof is
LiNi.sub.xCo.sub.1-xO.sub.2 (0<x<1)) such as
LiNi.sub.0.8Co.sub.0.2O.sub.2; an NiMn-based complex oxide (a
general formula thereof is LiNi.sub.xMn.sub.1-xO.sub.2
(0<x<1)) such as LiNi.sub.0.5Mn.sub.0.5O.sub.2; and an
NiMnCo-based complex oxide (also referred to as NMC, and a general
formula thereof is LiNi.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.1-x-yO.sub.2 (x>0,
y>0, x+y<1)) such as LiNi.sub.1/3Mn.sub.1/3CO.sub.1/3O.sub.2.
In one embodiment of the present invention, any of such active
materials having the layered rock salt structure can be widely
used. Alternatively, a combination of any of such complex oxides
may be used.
[0047] In the case where carrier ions are alkali metal ions other
than lithium ions or alkaline-earth metal ions, the following may
be used as the active material: a complex oxide which is obtained
by substituting an alkali metal (e.g., sodium or potassium) or an
alkaline-earth metal (e.g., calcium, strontium, barium, beryllium,
or magnesium) for lithium in any of the complex oxides.
1.2.1.2. Shape of Active Material with Layered Rock Salt
Structure
[0048] The active material 103 is baked particles obtained by
mixing raw materials in a predetermined ratio and baking the
mixture. The active material 103 may be secondary particles
obtained through crushing, granulation, and sizing of the baked
particles by an appropriate means. These particles have an average
diameter and particle size distribution. Here, "particles" are used
to indicate the exterior shape of an active material having a given
surface area, such as a spherical shape (powder shape), a plate
shape, a horn shape, a columnar shape, a needle shape, or a flake
shape. The particles of the active material are not necessarily in
spherical shapes and may have given shapes different from each
other. Although the particles of the active material 103 are
schematically illustrated in FIG. 1B, the shape of the particles is
not limited to this shape.
[0049] In particular, the average particle diameter of the active
material 103 increases when a baking temperature rises or the
baking time increases. In such a case, crystal growth is
encouraged, and thus edges of the particles of the active material
103 easily have a more angular shape.
1.2.1.3. Particle Diameter of Active Material with Layered Rock
Salt Structure
[0050] Although the active material 103 have a given average
particle diameter, the average particle diameter is preferably
greater than or equal to 0.1 .mu.m and less than or equal to 50
.mu.m, more preferably greater than or equal to 0.2 .mu.m and less
than or equal to 10 .mu.m. Since the active material with the
layered rock salt structure has conductivity and ionic conductivity
higher than those of the active material with the olivine
structure, an active material with a relatively large particle
diameter can be used as the active material with the layered rock
salt structure. However, in the case of using an active material
having a plurality of average particle diameters whose particle
size distribution has two or more peaks, the larger average
particle diameter is preferably in the above range.
1.2.2. Graphene
[0051] In the positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery
of one embodiment of the present invention, the graphene 104 is
included in the active material layer 102. The graphene 104 can
function as a conductive additive.
[0052] Graphene is a carbon material having a crystal structure in
which hexagonal skeletons of carbon are spread in a planar form and
is one atomic plane extracted from graphite crystals. Due to its
electrical, mechanical, or chemical characteristics which are
surprisingly excellent, graphene has been expected to be applied to
a variety of fields of, for example, field-effect transistors with
high mobility, highly sensitive sensors, highly-efficient solar
cells, and next-generation transparent conductive films and has
attracted a great deal of attention.
[0053] Graphene in this specification includes single-layer
graphene or multilayer graphene including two to hundred layers.
The single-layer graphene refers to a sheet of one atomic layer of
carbon molecules having .pi. bonds.
[0054] Further, graphene oxide in this specification refers to a
compound formed by oxidation of graphene. When graphene oxide is
reduced to form graphene, oxygen contained in the graphene oxide is
not entirely extracted and part of the oxygen remains in the
graphene in some cases. When the graphene contains oxygen, the
ratio of the oxygen measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
(XPS) in the graphene is higher than or equal to 2 atomic % and
lower than or equal to 20 atomic %, preferably higher than or equal
to 3 atomic % and lower than or equal to 15 atomic %.
1.2.2.1. Network Through Graphene
[0055] In the positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery
of one embodiment of the present invention, the graphene 104 is
dispersed into the active material layer 102 so that a piece of
graphene overlaps with another piece of graphene and is in surface
contact with a plurality of particles of the active material 103.
In other words, a network for electron conduction is formed by the
graphene 104 in the active material layer 102. This maintains the
electron conduction path between the plurality of particles of the
active material 103, which enables the active material layer 102
with high electron conductivity to be formed.
[0056] FIG. 1B illustrates the graphene 104 dispersed and attached
to the periphery of the active material 103. The graphene 104 is a
single layer or a stacked layer, and has a sheet-like shape. Thus,
a portion where the graphene 104 is in contact with the active
material 103 has a predetermined area (which is referred to as
surface contact in this specification). Further, a piece of the
graphene 104 is in surface contact with another piece of the
graphene 104. Although pieces of the graphene 104 seem to be
separated from each other in FIG. 1B, a piece of the graphene 104
is in contact with another piece of the graphene 104 in a depth
direction in some cases. In such a manner, a plurality of pieces of
the graphene 104 are in surface contact with each other to form the
network for electron conduction in the entire active material layer
102. When particles of acetylene black (AB) or the like are used as
a conductive additive in an active material layer, electron
conductivity is low because an active material is in point contact
with the conductive additive and the particles of the conductive
additive are in point contact with each other. The active material
layer 102 having a two-dimensional conductive path has electron
conductivity higher than that of the active material layer
including AB as the conductive additive.
[0057] In addition, since the graphene 104 has the sheet-like
shape, the volume of the conductive additive can be reduced, as
compared with the case of using acetylene black or the like. Thus,
the weight ratio of the active material to the active material
layer 102 can be increased.
[0058] In particular, when a material with the layered rock salt
structure is used as the active material 103, the active material
103 does not need to be subjected to microparticulation because of
its high conductivity and high ionic conductivity. The active
material 103 having a large particle diameter of course has a large
surface area, and thus is easily in surface contact with the
graphene 104. Further, the contact area can be large. Particularly
in the case where the active material 103 has a flat surface owing
to its crystal structure, conductivity is easily ensured because
the graphene 104 is easily in surface contact with the fiat
surface.
[0059] In addition, when the material with the layered rock salt
structure is used as the active material 103, the ratio of the
graphene 104 to the active material layer 102 as the conductive
additive can be reduced because of its high conductivity and high
ionic conductivity. Thus, the weight ratio of the active material
to the active material layer in the positive electrode for a
nonaqueous secondary battery can be increased.
1.2.2.2. Size of Graphene
[0060] A piece of the graphene 104 preferably has a size which
enables sufficient surface contact with a particle of the active
material 103 and moreover, enables surface contact with another
piece of graphene 104 or another particles of the active material
103. For example, the length of one side of the graphene 104 is
preferably greater than or equal to 50 nm and less than or equal to
100 .mu.m, more preferably greater than or equal to 500 nm and less
than or equal to 50 .mu.m.
[0061] Accordingly, the size of graphene oxide which is used for
forming graphene and described later is preferably in the above
range.
1.2.3. Binder
[0062] In addition to the active material 103 and the graphene 104,
the binder (not illustrated) is preferably included in the active
material layer 102. With the use of the binder, the active material
103, the graphene 104, and the current collector 101 can be bonded
to each other to increase the strength of the electrode.
[0063] Examples of the binder are polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF),
polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, an
ethylene-propylene-diene polymer, styrene-butadiene rubber,
acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, fluorine rubber, polyvinyl acetate,
poly methyl methacrylate, polyethylene, and nitrocellulose.
1.2.4. Structure of Active Material Layer
[0064] The weight ratio of the graphene 104 to the active material
layer 102 is preferably higher than or equal to 0.05 wt % and lower
than or equal to 5.3 wt %, the weight ratio of the active material
103 to the active material layer 102 is preferably higher than or
equal to 84.2 wt % and lower than or equal to 98.9 wt %, and the
weght ratio of the hinder in the active material layer 102 is
preferably higher than or equal to 1 wt % and lower than or equal
to 10.5 wt %.
[0065] As the active material 103, several kinds of active
materials having different average particle diameters may be used.
FIG. 2A is a schematic view of the active material layer 102
including two kinds of active materials 103a and 103b with
different average particle diameters. The active material 103a has
a relatively large average particle diameter and the active
material 103b has a relatively small average particle diameter.
With the use of the active materials 103a and 103b, the active
material 103b enters a gap between particles of the active material
103a, resulting in an increase in the ratio of the active material
to the active material layer 102.
[0066] FIG. 2B is a schematic view of the active material layer 102
including the active material 103 whose surface is coated with a
carbon layer 105 (carbon-coated). By coating the surface of the
active material 103 with the carbon layer 105, the conductivity of
the active material 103 can be increased. In such a case, the
graphene 104 is in surface contact with the carbon layer 105
provided on the surface of the active material 103. Synergy between
the carbon layer 105 and the graphene 104 can further increase the
conductivity of the active material layer 102. In addition, a
decrease in the weight ratio of the graphene 104 in the positive
electrode can increase the weight ratio of the active material in
the positive electrode. It should be noted that in the case of
coating the surface of the active material 103 with the carbon
layer 105 through heat treatment at high temperature, extraction of
oxygen from the active material 103 might change composition.
[0067] Although not illustrated, several kinds of active materials
with different average particle diameters may be used as the active
material 103, and a surface of one or all thereof may be coated
with a carbon layer. For example, when an active material with a
relatively small average particle diameter is difficult to be in
surface contact with graphene, only the active material with a
relatively small average particle diameter may be coated with a
carbon layer.
2. Method for Forming Positive Electrode for Nonaqueous Secondary
Battery
[0068] Next, a method for forming the above-described positive
electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery is described with
reference to FIG. 3, FIGS. 4A to 4C, and FIGS. 5A and 5B.
2.1. Method for Forming Active Material
[0069] First, a method for forming the active material with the
layered rock salt structure is described.
[0070] First, raw materials are weighed so that the active material
to be formed has appropriate composition. For example, in the case
of forming lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO.sub.2) as the active
material, a source of lithium, such as lithium carbonate
(Li.sub.2CO.sub.3), and a source of cobalt, such as cobalt oxide
(Co.sub.3O.sub.4), can be used as the raw materials. Next, the raw
materials are mixed and crushed by mechanical milling with the use
of a ban mill, a turbo mill, a vibration mill, a disc mill, or the
like (Step S101). At the time of mixing and crushing, an organic
solvent such as ethanol or acetone is added.
[0071] Then, the mixed and crushed raw materials are subjected to
predrying to remove the organic solvent used in the above step
(Step S102). The predrying can be performed at a temperature close
to a boiling point of the organic solvent because the object of
this step is to remove the organic solvent; for example, the
predrying may be performed at 50.degree. C. or higher for about 1
hour to 2 hours. A hot plate, an oven, a heating furnace, a halogen
heater, an infrared heater, a hot air dryer, or the like may be
used for the predrying.
[0072] Baking is performed after the predrying (Step S103). The
baking is preferably performed in an air atmosphere. For example,
the baking may be performed at 800.degree. C. or higher and
1500.degree. C. or lower for about 5 hours to 24 hours. A baking
furnace such as a muffle furnace, a tunnel furnace, or a Rotary
kiln can be used for the baking, for example.
[0073] Then, cracking is performed (Step S104). Through this step,
aggregated particles of the active material are separated from each
other. The cracking can be performed by the mechanical milling with
the use of a ball mill, a turbo mill, a vibration mill, a disc
mill, or the like.
[0074] Lastly, drying is performed (Step S105). This step removes
moisture adsorbed onto the active material. The drying is performed
at 80.degree. C. or higher and 200.degree. C. or lower for about 2
hours, for example. A vacuum dryer can be used for the drying. In
such a case, pressure is 0.1 MPa, for example.
[0075] In the above manner, the active material with the layered
rock salt structure, such as lithium cobalt oxide, can be
obtained.
2.2. Dispersion Property of Graphene Oxide
[0076] In one embodiment of the present invention, graphene oxide
is used as a raw material of graphene included in the active
material layer; the graphene is graphene oxide when added to a
paste. In this section, description is given of the difference
between the case of adding graphene directly to a paste and the
case of adding graphene oxide to a paste and then reducing the
graphene oxide to give graphene.
2.2.1. Case of Adding Graphene Directly to Paste for Forming Active
Material Layer
[0077] An active material layer including graphene as a conductive
additive without using graphene oxide as a raw material of the
graphene can be foamed by the following method. First, after the
graphene is dispersed into a dispersion medium (also referred to as
a solvent), a positive electrode active material is added thereto
and a mixture is obtained by mixing. A binder is added to the
mixture and the mixture is mixed, so that a paste is formed.
Lastly, after the paste is applied to a positive electrode current
collector, the dispersion medium is volatilized. Thus, the active
material layer including graphene as a conductive additive is
formed.
[0078] Here, to form a network for electron conduction in the
active material layer by using graphene as a conductive additive,
the graphene needs to be uniformly dispersed into the dispersion
medium. This is because as for graphene, the property of dispersing
into the dispersion medium directly depends on the property of
dispersing into the active material layer. When the dispersion
property of graphene is low, the graphene: is aggregated and
localized in the positive electrode active material layer, which
prevents formation of the network. Thus, the dispersion property of
graphene used as a conductive additive into a dispersion medium is
an extremely important factor in the improvement of the electron
conductivity of the active material layer.
[0079] However, by examining a positive electrode active material
layer formed in such a way that graphene as a conductive additive
was put in a dispersion medium together with an active material and
a binder, the present inventors found that the dispersion property
was insufficient and a network for electron conduction was not
formed in the positive electrode active material layer. The present
inventors found the same results by examining a positive electrode
active material layer formed in such a way that, instead of
graphene, graphene formed by reduction of graphene oxide
(hereinafter referred to as "RGO", abbreviation of reduced graphene
oxide), was put as a conductive additive in a dispersion
medium.
2.2.2. Case of Adding Graphene Oxide to Paste for Forming Active
Material Layer
[0080] In contrast, the present inventors have found that excellent
electron conductivity is achieved by formation of a network for
electron conduction in an active material layer obtained in such a
way that, after graphene oxide as a conductive additive is put in a
dispersion medium together with an active material and a binder to
form a paste, the dispersed graphene oxide is reduced by heat
treatment to form graphene.
[0081] Thus, while the dispersion property of graphene or RGO is
low in an active material layer in which the graphene or the RGO is
dispersed as a raw material of a conductive additive, the
dispersion property of graphene formed by reducing graphene oxide
after the graphene oxide is added to form a paste is good.
[0082] Such a difference in the properties of dispersing into an
active material layer between the graphene or the RGO and the
graphene formed by reducing graphene oxide after the paste
including the graphene oxide is formed can be explained below as a
difference in the properties of dispersing into a dispersion
medium.
2.2.2.1. Property of Graphene Oxide Dispersing into Dispersion
Medium
[0083] FIG. 4A illustrates a structural formula of NMP
(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone), which is a typical dispersion medium. NMP
200 is a compound having a five-membered ring structure and is one
of polar solvents. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, in the NMP, oxygen is
electrically negatively biased and carbon forming a double bond
with the oxygen is electrically positively biased. Graphene, RGO,
or graphene oxide is added to a diluent solvent having such a
polarity.
[0084] Graphene is a crystal structure body of carbon in which
hexagonal skeletons are spread in a planar form as already
described, and does not substantially include a functional group in
the structure body. Further, the RGO is formed by reduction of
functional groups originally included in the RGO by heat treatment,
and the ratio of functional groups in the structure body is as low
as about 10%. Consequently, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, a surface of
graphene or RGO 201 does not have polarity and therefore has
hydrophobicity. For this reason, while interaction between the NMP
200 which is a dispersion medium and the graphene or the RGO 201 is
extremely weak, interaction probably occurs between pieces of the
graphene or RGO 201 to cause aggregation of the pieces of the
graphene or RGO 201 (see FIG. 4C).
[0085] Graphene oxide 202 is a polar substance having a functional
group such as an epoxy group, a carbonyl group, a carboxyl group,
or a hydroxyl group. Oxygen in the functional group in the graphene
oxide 202 is negatively charged in a polar solvent; hence, graphene
oxide hardly aggregate in the polar solvent but strongly interact
with the NMP 200 which is the polar solvent (see FIG. 5A). Thus,
the functional group such as an epoxy group in the graphene oxide
202 interacts with the polar solvent as illustrated in FIG. 5B,
which probably prevents aggregation among graphene oxide, resulting
in uniform dispersion of the graphene oxide 202 in a dispersion
medium (see FIG. 5B).
[0086] As described above, at the time of forming a paste, adding
graphene oxide with a high dispersion property to the dispersion
medium is extremely effective in using graphene which forms a
network for electron conduction with high conductivity as a
conductive additive of an active material layer. The dispersion
property of graphene oxide in a dispersion medium probably depends
on the quantity of functional groups having oxygen such as an epoxy
group (i.e., the degree of oxidation of graphene oxide).
[0087] Here, in graphene oxide which is a raw material of graphene
included in the active material layer, the atomic ratio of oxygen
to carbon (O/C) is preferably greater than or equal to 0.405.
[0088] The atomic ratio of oxygen to carbon is an indicator of the
degree of oxidation and represents the ratio of the number of
oxygen atoms that are a constituent element of graphene oxide to
the number of carbon atoms that are a constituent element of the
graphene oxide (O/C). Note that the atomic ratio of elements
included in graphene oxide can be measured by X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS), for example.
[0089] The atomic ratio of oxygen to carbon in graphene oxide which
is greater than or equal to 0.405 means that the graphene oxide is
a polar substance in which functional groups such as an epoxy
group, a carbonyl group, a carboxyl group, or a hydroxyl group are
sufficiently bonded to the graphene oxide for the high dispersion
property of the graphene oxide in a polar solvent.
[0090] The graphene oxide in which the atomic ratio of oxygen to
carbon is greater than or equal to 0.405 is dispersed into a
dispersion medium together with a positive electrode active
material and a binder, the mixture is mixed, the mixture is applied
on a positive electrode current collector, and heating is
performed. Thus, a positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary
battery which includes graphene with a high dispersion property and
a network for electron conduction can be formed.
2.3. Method for Forming Graphene Oxide
[0091] Next, a method for forming graphene oxide described above is
described.
[0092] Graphene oxide can be formed by an oxidation method called a
Hummers method, for example. The Hummers method is as follows: a
sulfuric acid solution of potassium permanganate, a hydrogen
peroxide solution, or the like is mixed into a graphite powder to
cause an oxidation reaction; thus, a dispersion liquid including
graphite oxide is formed. Through the oxidation of carbon in
graphite, functional groups such as an epoxy group, a carbonyl
group, a carboxyl group, or a hydroxyl group are bonded in the
graphite oxide. Accordingly, the interlayer distance between a
plurality of pieces of graphene in the graphite oxide is longer
than that in the graphite, so that the graphite oxide can be easily
separated into thin pieces by interlayer separation. Then,
ultrasonic vibration is applied to the mixed solution containing
the graphite oxide, so that the graphite oxide whose interlayer
distance is long can be cleaved to separate graphene oxide and to
form a dispersion liquid containing graphene oxide. The solvent is
removed from the dispersion liquid including the graphene oxide, so
that powdery graphene oxide can be obtained.
[0093] Here, in the graphene oxide, the atomic ratio of oxygen to
carbon can be adjusted by the amount of an oxidizer such as
potassium permanganate. Specifically, the weight ratio of the
oxidizer to the graphite powder is increased, and accordingly the
degree of oxidation of the graphene oxide (the atomic ratio of
oxygen to carbon) can be increased. The weight ratio of the
oxidizer to the graphite powder which is a raw material can be
determined depending on the weight of graphene oxide to be
formed.
[0094] Note that the method for forming graphene oxide is not
limited to the Hummers method using a sulfuric acid solution of
potassium permanganate; for example, the Hummers method using
nitric acid, potassium chlorate, nitric acid sodium, potassium
permanganate, or the like or a method for forming graphene oxide
other than the Hummers method may be employed as appropriate.
[0095] Graphite oxide may be separated into thin pieces by
application of ultrasonic vibration, by irradiation with
microwaves, radio waves, or thermal plasma, or by application of
physical stress.
[0096] The formed graphene oxide includes an epoxy group, a
carbonyl group, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, or the like. In
graphene oxide, oxygen in a functional group is negatively charged
in a polar solvent typified by NMP; therefore, while interacting
with NMP, the graphene oxide repels with other graphene oxide and
is hardly aggregated. For this reason, in a polar solvent, graphene
oxide can be easily dispersed uniformly.
2.4. Method for Forming Positive Electrode
[0097] Next, a method for forming the positive electrode 100
including the active material layer 102 is described with reference
to FIG. 6. The method is as follows: a paste is formed using the
active material with the layered rock salt structure, graphene
oxide, the binder, and the dispersion medium which are described
above, applied onto the current collector 101, and then dried in a
reducing atmosphere or under reduced pressure.
[0098] First, NMP is prepared as the dispersion medium (Step S201),
and graphene oxide is dispersed into the NMP (Step S202). When the
weight ratio of the graphene oxide to the total of the active
material, the graphene oxide, and the binder in the paste is lower
than 0.1 wt %, the conductivity is decreased when the active
material layer 102 is formed. When the weight ratio of the graphene
oxide in the paste exceeds 10 wt %, although it depends on the
diameter of the active material particle, the viscosity of the
paste is increased. In a drying step after the paste is applied to
the current collector 101, convection is generated in the paste by
heating and thin and lightweight graphene oxide moves and is
aggregated, whereby a crack might be formed in the active material
layer 102 or the active material layer 102 might be separated from
the current collector 101. Thus, the weight ratio of graphene oxide
to the total of the active material, the graphene oxide, and the
binder in the paste is preferably set to 0.1 wt % to 10 wt %. Note
that the graphene oxide is reduced in a heat treatment step
performed later to give graphene and the weight is reduced by
almost half, and consequently the weight ratio of the graphene
oxide in the active material layer 102 becomes 0.05 wt % to 5.3 wt
%.
[0099] Next, as the active material, the active material having the
layered rock salt structure, such as lithium cobalt oxide, is added
(Step S202). The active material with the layered rock salt
structure preferably has an average particle diameter greater than
or equal to 0.1 .mu.m and less than or equal to 50 .mu.m, more
preferably greater than or equal to 0.2 .mu.m and less than or
equal to 10 .mu.m. The ratio of the added active material in the
paste is preferably higher than or equal to 80 wt %; for example,
the ratio of the added. active material in the paste is higher than
or equal to 80 wt % and lower than or equal to 98.9 wt %.
[0100] Note that carbohydrate such as glucose may be mixed at the
time of baking the active material to coat a surface of the active
material with carbon. This treatment can further increase
conductivity.
[0101] Next, the mixture is kneaded (the mixture is mixed at high
viscosity), whereby aggregation of the graphene oxide and the
active material with the layered rock salt structure can be
reduced. Further, since the graphene oxide has a functional group,
oxygen in the functional group is negatively charged in a polar
solvent, which makes aggregation among graphene oxide difficult.
The interaction between graphene oxide and the active material with
the layered rock salt structure is strong. Hence, the graphene
oxide can be further uniformly dispersed into the active
material.
[0102] Next, the binder is added to the mixture (Step S204). The
weight of the binder is determined based on the weight of graphene
oxide, and that of the active material; the binder is added so that
the weight ratio of the binder to the total of the binder, the
graphene oxide, and the active material in the paste is higher than
or equal to 0.1 wt % and lower than or equal to 10 wt %. The binder
is added while the graphene oxide is uniformly dispersed to be in
surface contact with the plurality of particles of the active
material, so that the particles of the active material and the
graphene oxide can be bound to each other with the graphene oxide
kept dispersed. Although the binder is not necessarily added
depending on the ratio of the active material and the ratio of the
graphene oxide, adding the binder can enhance the strength of the
positive electrode.
[0103] Next, the dispersion medium is added to the mixture until
the mixture has predetermined viscosity (Step S205) and the mixture
is mixed, whereby the paste can be formed (Step S206). Through the
above steps, the paste in which the graphene oxide, the active
material, and the binder are uniformly mixed can be formed.
[0104] It is preferable that, in the state of the paste, the weight
ratio of the graphene oxide to the total of the active material,
the graphene oxide, and the binder in the paste be higher than or
equal to 0.1 wt % and lower than or equal to 10 wt %, the ratio of
the active material in the paste be higher than or equal to 80 wt %
and lower than or equal to 98.9 wt %, and the ratio of the binder
in the paste be higher than or equal to 1 wt % and lower than or
equal to 10 wt %. Further, it is preferable that, in the state of
the active material layer obtained by applying the paste to the
current collector and reducing the graphene oxide, the ratio of
graphene to the active material layer be higher than or equal to
0.05 wt % and lower than or equal to 5.3 wt %, the ratio of the
active material to the active material layer be higher than or
equal to 84.2 wt % and lower than or equal to 98.9 wt %, and the
ratio of the binder to the active material layer be higher than or
equal to 1 wt % and lower than or equal to 10.5 wt %.
[0105] Next, the paste is applied onto the current collector 101
(Step S207).
[0106] Then, the paste applied onto the current collector 101 is
dried (Step S208). The drying is performed by heating at 60.degree.
C. or higher and 170.degree. C. or lower for 1 minute or longer and
10 hours or shorter to evaporate the dispersion medium. There is no
particular limitation on the atmosphere.
[0107] Next, the paste is dried in a reduction atmosphere or under
reduced pressure (Step S209). Heating is performed in a reducing
atmosphere or under reduced pressure at 130.degree. C. or higher
and 200.degree. C. or lower for 10 hours or longer and 30 hours or
shorter, whereby the dispersion medium and water which are left in
the paste are evaporated and oxygen contained in the graphene oxide
is desorbed. Thus, the graphene oxide can be processed into
graphene. Note that oxygen in the graphene oxide is not entirely
extracted and partly remains in the graphene.
[0108] When the graphene contains oxygen, the ratio of oxygen
measured by XPS in the graphene is higher than or equal to 2 atomic
% and lower than or equal to 20 atomic %, preferably higher than or
equal to 3 atomic % and lower than or equal to 15 atomic %. As the
ratio of oxygen is lower, the conductivity of the graphene can be
higher, so that a network with high electron conductivity can be
formed. As the ratio of oxygen becomes higher, more gaps serving as
paths of ions can be formed in the graphene.
[0109] Through the above steps, the positive electrode 100
including the active material layer 102 where the graphene 104 are
uniformly dispersed can be formed. Note that a step of applying
pressure to (a step of pressing) the positive electrode 100 may be
performed after the drying step.
[0110] As described above, an active material is added to and mixed
with a dispersion liquid of graphene oxide, so that the graphene
oxide can be uniformly dispersed into the active material layer. By
being added in a state where the graphene oxide is dispersed so as
to be in contact with the plurality of the particles of the active
material, the binder can be uniformly dispersed without hindering
the contact between the graphene oxide and the plurality of
particles of the active material. With the use of the paste formed
in such a manner, a positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary
battery which is highly filled with the active material and
includes the active material at high density can be formed.
Further, when a battery is formed using the positive electrode, a
nonaqueous secondary battery with high capacity can be
manufactured. Since contact between sheets of graphene and the
plurality of particles of the active material can be maintained by
the binder, separation between the active material and the graphene
can be prevented; thus, a nonaqueous secondary battery having good
cycle characteristics can be manufactured.
3. Nonaqueous Secondary Battery
[0111] Next, structures of nonaqueous secondary batteries are
described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B and FIGS. 8A and
8B.
3.1. Coin-Type Secondary Battery
[0112] FIG. 7A is an external view of a coin-type (single-layer
flat type) lithium-ion secondary battery, part of which illustrates
a cross-sectional view of the coin-type lithium-ion secondary
battery.
[0113] In a coin-type secondary battery 450, a positive electrode
can 451 serving also as a positive electrode terminal and a
negative electrode can 452 serving also as a negative electrode
terminal are insulated and sealed with a gasket 453 formed of
polypropylene or the like. A positive electrode 454 includes a
positive electrode current collector 455 and a positive electrode
active material layer 456 which is provided to be in contact with
the positive electrode current collector 455. A negative electrode
457 includes a negative electrode current collector 458 and a
negative electrode active material layer 459 which is provided to
be in contact with the negative electrode current collector 458. A
separator 460 and an electrolyte solution (not illustrated) are
included between the positive electrode active material layer 456
and the negative electrode active material layer 459.
[0114] The negative electrode 457 includes the negative electrode
current collector 458 and the negative electrode active material
layer 459. The positive electrode 454 includes the positive
electrode current collector 455 and the positive electrode active
material layer 456.
[0115] As the positive electrode 454, the positive electrode for a
nonaqueous secondary battery of one embodiment of the present
invention is used.
[0116] The negative electrode 457 is formed in such a manner that
the negative electrode active material layer 459 is formed onto the
negative electrode current collector 458 by a coating method, a CVD
method, a sputtering method, or the like.
[0117] For the negative electrode current collector 458, it is
possible to use a highly conductive material, for example, a metal
such as copper, nickel, or titanium. The negative electrode current
collector 458 can have a foil-like shape, a plate-like shape
(sheet-like shape), a ret-like shape, a punching-metal shape, an
expanded-metal shape, or the like, as appropriate. The negative
electrode current collector 458 preferably has a thickness of more
than or equal to 10 .mu.m and less than or equal to 30 .mu.m.
[0118] There is no particular limitation on the material of the
negative electrode active material as long as it is a material with
which a metal can be dissolved/precipitated or a material into/from
which metal ions can be inserted/extracted. Other than a lithium
metal, graphite, which is a carbon material generally used in the
field of power storage, can also be used as a negative electrode
active material. Examples of graphite are low crystalline carbon
such as soft carbon and hard carbon and high crystalline carbon
such as natural graphite, kish graphite, pyrolytic carbon,
mesophase pitch based carbon fiber, meso-carbon microbeads (MCMB),
mesophase pitches, petroleum-based or coal-based coke, and the
like.
[0119] As the negative electrode active material, other than the
above carbon materials, an alloy-based material which enables a
charge-discharge reaction by an alloying and dealloying reaction
with carrier ions can be used. In the case where carrier ions are
lithium ions, for example, a material containing at least one of
Mg, Ca, Al, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, In,
etc. can be used as the alloy-based material. Such metals have
higher capacity than carbon. In particular, silicon has a
significantly high theoretical capacity of 4200 mAh/g. For this
reason, silicon is preferably used as the negative electrode active
material.
[0120] The negative electrode active material layer 459 may be
formed by a coating method in such a manner that a conductive
additive or a binder is added to a negative electrode active
material to form a negative electrode paste and the negative
electrode paste is applied onto the negative electrode current
collector 458 and dried.
[0121] Further, graphene is preferably formed on a surface of the
negative electrode active material. In the case of using silicon as
the negative electrode active material, the volume of silicon is
greatly changed due to occlusion and release of carrier ions in
charge-discharge cycles. Therefore, adhesion between the negative
electrode current collector 458 and the negative electrode active
material layer 459 is decreased, resulting in degradation of
battery characteristics caused by charge and discharge. In view of
this, graphene is preferably formed on a surface of the negative
electrode active material containing silicon because even when the
volume of silicon is changed in charge-discharge cycles, separation
between the negative electrode current collector 458 and the
negative electrode active material layer 459 can be prevented,
which makes it possible to reduce degradation of battery
characteristics.
[0122] Graphene formed on the surface of the negative electrode
active material can be formed by reducing graphene oxide in a
similar manner to that of the method for forming the positive
electrode. As the graphene oxide, the above-described graphene
oxide can be used.
[0123] As the separator 460, a porous insulator such as cellulose,
polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polybutene, nylon,
polyester, polysulfone, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene fluoride,
or tetrafluoroethylene can be used. Further, nonwoven fabric of a
glass fiber or the like, or a diaphragm in which a glass fiber and
a polymer fiber are mixed may also be used.
[0124] As a solvent for the electrolyte solution, an aprotic
organic solvent is preferably used. For example, one of ethylene
carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), butylene carbonate,
chloroethylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate,
.gamma.-butyrolactone, .gamma.-valerolactone, dimethyl carbonate
(DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC),
methyl formate, methyl acetate, methyl butyrate, 1,3-dioxane,
1,4-dioxane, dimethoxyethane (DME), dimethyl sulfoxide, diethyl
ether, methyl diglyme, acetonitrile, benzonitrile, tetrahydrofuran,
sulfolane, and sultone can be used, or two or more of these
solvents can be used in an appropriate combination in an
appropriate ratio.
[0125] With the use of a gelled high-molecular material as the
solvent for the electrolyte solution, safety against liquid leakage
and the like is improved. Further, a secondary battery can be
thinner and more lightweight. Typical examples of the gelled
high-molecular material are a silicone gel, an acrylic gel, an
acrylonitrile gel, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, and a
fluorine-based polymer.
[0126] Alternatively, the use of one or more of ionic liquids (room
temperature molten salts) which are less likely to burn and
volatilize as the solvent for the electrolyte solution can prevent
the secondary battery from exploding or catching fire even when the
secondary battery internally shorts out or the internal temperature
increases due to overcharging or the like.
[0127] As an electrolyte dissolved in the above-described solvent,
one of lithium salts such as LiPF.sub.6, LiClO.sub.4, LiAsF.sub.6,
LiBF.sub.4, LiAlCl.sub.4, LiSCN, LiBr, LiI, Li.sub.2SO.sub.4,
Li.sub.2B.sub.10Cl.sub.10, Li.sub.2B.sub.12Cl.sub.12,
LiCF.sub.3SO.sub.3, LiC.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.3,
LiC(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.3, LiC(C.sub.2F.sub.5SO.sub.2).sub.3,
LiN(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.2, LiN(C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.2)
(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2), and LiN(C.sub.2F.sub.5SO.sub.2).sub.2 can be
used, or two or more of these lithium salts can be used in an
appropriate combination in an appropriate ratio.
[0128] For the positive electrode can 451 and the negative
electrode can 452, a metal having corrosion resistance to an
electrolyte solution, such as nickel, aluminum, or titanium, an
alloy of such a metal, or an alloy of such a metal and another
metal (e.g., stainless steel) can be used. Alternatively, the
positive electrode can 451 and the negative electrode can 452 are
preferably coated with nickel, aluminum, or the like in order to
prevent corrosion caused by the electrolyte solution. The positive
electrode can 451 and the negative electrode can 452 are
electrically connected to the positive electrode 454 and the
negative electrode 457, respectively.
[0129] The negative electrode 457, the positive electrode 454, and
the separator 460 are immersed in the electrolyte solution. Then,
as illustrated in FIG. 7A, the positive electrode can 451, the
positive electrode 454, the separator 460, the negative electrode
457, and the negative electrode can 452 are stacked in this order
with the positive electrode can 451 positioned at the bottom, and
the positive electrode can 451 and the negative electrode can 452
are subjected to pressure bonding with the gasket 453 provided
therebetween. In such a manner, the coin-type secondary battery 450
is manufactured.
3.2. Laminated Secondary Battery
[0130] Next, an example of a laminated secondary battery is
described with reference to FIG. 7B. In FIG. 7B, a structure inside
the laminated secondary battery is partly exposed for
convenience.
[0131] A laminated secondary battery 470 illustrated in FIG. 7B
includes a positive electrode 473 including a positive electrode
current collector 471 and a positive electrode active material
layer 472, a negative electrode 476 including a negative electrode
current collector 474 and a negative electrode active material
layer 475, a separator 477, an electrolyte solution (not
illustrated), and an exterior body 478. The separator 477 is placed
between the positive electrode 473 and the negative electrode 476
provided in the exterior body 478. The exterior body 478 is filled
with the electrolyte solution. Although the one positive electrode
473, the one negative electrode 476, and the one separator 477 are
used in FIG. 7B, the secondary battery may have a stacked-layer
structure in which positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and
separators are alternately stacked.
[0132] The positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery of
one embodiment of the present invention is used as the positive
electrode 473.
[0133] For the negative electrode, the separator, and the
electrolyte solution (the electrolyte and the solvent), materials
similar to those of the negative electrode, the separator, and the
electrolyte solution in the above-described coin-type secondary
battery can be used.
[0134] In the laminated secondary battery 470 illustrated in FIG.
7B, the positive electrode current collector 471 and the negative
electrode current collector 474 also serve as terminals (tabs) for
an electrical contact with the outside. For this reason, the
positive electrode current collector 471 and the negative electrode
current collector 474 are provided so that part of the positive
electrode current collector 471 and part of the negative electrode
current collector 474 are exposed outside the exterior body
478.
[0135] As the exterior body 478 in the laminated secondary battery
470, for example, a laminate film having a three-layer structure
where a highly flexible metal thin film of aluminum, stainless
steel, copper, nickel, or the like is provided over a film formed
of a material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate,
ionomer, or polyamide, and an insulating synthetic resin film of a
polyamide resin, a polyester resin, or the like is provided as the
outer surface of the exterior body over the metal thin film can be
used. With such a three-layer structure, permeation of the
electrolyte solution and a gas can be blocked and an insulating
property and resistance to the electrolyte solution can be
obtained.
3.3. Cylindrical Secondary Battery
[0136] Next, examples of a cylindrical secondary battery are
described with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B. As illustrated in FIG.
8A, a cylindrical secondary battery 480 includes a positive
electrode cap (battery cap) 481 on its top surface and a battery
can (outer can) 482 on its side surface and bottom surface. The
positive electrode cap 481 and the battery can 482 are insulated
from each other with a gasket (insulating packing) 490.
[0137] FIG. 8B is a diagram schematically illustrating a
cross-section of the cylindrical secondary battery. In the battery
can 482 with a hollow cylindrical shape, a battery element is
provided in which a strip-like positive electrode 484 and a
strip-like negative electrode 486 are wound with a separator 485
provided therebetween. Although not illustrated, the battery
element is wound around a center pin as a center. One end of the
battery can 482 is close and the other end thereof is open.
[0138] The positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery of
one embodiment of the present invention is used as the positive
electrode 484.
[0139] For the battery can 482, a metal having corrosion resistance
to an electrolyte solution, such as nickel, aluminum, or titanium,
an alloy of such a metal, or an alloy of such a metal and another
metal (e.g., stainless steel) can be used. Alternatively, the
battery can 482 is preferably coated with nickel, aluminum, or the
like in order to prevent corrosion caused by the electrolyte
solution. Inside the battery can 482, the battery element in which
the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator
are wound is provided between a pair of insulating plates 488 and
489 which face each other.
[0140] An electrolyte solution (not illustrated) is injected inside
the battery can 482 in which the battery element is provided. For
the electrolyte solution, an electrolyte and a solvent which are
similar to those in the above-described coin-type secondary battery
or laminated secondary battery can be used.
[0141] Since the positive electrode 484 and the negative electrode
486 of the cylindrical secondary battery are wound, active material
layers are formed on both sides of the current collectors. A
positive electrode terminal (positive electrode current collecting
lead) 483 is connected to the positive electrode 484, and a
negative electrode terminal (negative electrode current collecting
lead) 487 is connected to the negative electrode 486. A metal
material such as aluminum can be used for both the positive
electrode terminal 483 and the negative electrode terminal 487. The
positive electrode terminal 483 and the negative electrode terminal
487 are resistance-welded to a safety valve mechanism 492 and the
bottom of the battery can 482, respectively. The safety valve
mechanism 492 is electrically connected to the positive electrode
cap 481 through a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element
491. In the case where an internal pressure of the battery is
increased to exceed a predetermined threshold value, the safety
valve mechanism 492 electrically disconnects the positive electrode
cap 481 and the positive electrode 484. The PTC element 491 is a
heat sensitive resistor whose resistance increases as temperature
rises, and controls the amount of current by an increase in
resistance to prevent unusual heat generation. Note that barium
titanate (BaTiO.sub.3)-based semiconductor ceramic and the like can
be used for the PTC element.
[0142] As described above, the coin-type secondary battery, the
laminated secondary battery, and the cylindrical secondary battery
are given as examples of the secondary battery; however, any of
secondary batteries with a variety of shapes, such as a sealed
secondary battery and a square-type secondary battery, can be used.
Further, a structure in which a plurality of positive electrodes, a
plurality of negative electrodes, and a plurality of separators are
stacked or wound may be employed.
4. Electrical Device Including Nonaqueous Secondary Battery
[0143] A nonaqueous secondary battery using the positive electrode
for a nonaqueous secondary battery of one embodiment of the present
invention can be used for power sources of a variety of electrical
devices.
4.1. Range of Electrical Devices
[0144] Here, "electrical devices" refer to all general industrial
products including portions which operate by electric power.
Electrical devices are not limited to consumer products such as
home electrical products and also include products for various uses
such as business use, industrial use, and military use in their
category.
4.2. Examples of Electrical Device
[0145] Examples of electrical devices each using the nonaqueous
secondary battery of one embodiment of the present invention are as
follows: display devices of televisions, monitors, and the like,
lighting devices, desktop personal computers, laptop personal
computers, word processors, image reproduction devices which
reproduce still images or moving images stored in recording media
such as digital versatile discs (DVDs), portable or stationary
music reproduction devices such as compact disc (CD) players and
digital audio players, portable or stationary radio receivers,
recording reproduction devices such as tape recorders and IC
recorders (voice recorders), headphone stereos, stereos, remote
controls, clocks such as table clocks and wall clocks, cordless
phone handsets, transceivers, mobile phones, car phones, portable
or stationary game machines, pedometers, calculators, portable
information terminals, electronic notebooks, e-book readers,
electronic translators, audio input devices such as microphones,
cameras such as still cameras and video cameras, toys, electric
shavers, electric toothbrushes, high-frequency heating appliances
such as microwave ovens, electric rice cookers, electric washing
machines, electric vacuum cleaners, water heaters, electric fans,
hair dryers, air-conditioning systems such as humidifiers,
dehumidifiers, and air conditioners, dishwashers, dish dryers,
clothes dryers, futon dryers, electric refrigerators, electric
freezers, electric refrigerator-freezers, freezers for preserving
DNA, flashlights, electric power tools, smoke detectors, and a
health equipment and a medical equipment such as hearing aids,
cardiac pacemakers, portable X-ray equipments, radiation counters,
electric massagers, and dialyzers. The examples also include
industrial equipment such as guide lights, traffic lights, meters
such as gas meters and water meters, belt conveyors, elevators,
escalators, automatic vending machines, automatic ticket machine,
cash dispensers (CD), automated teller machines (ATM), digital
signage, industrial robots, radio relay stations, mobile phone base
stations, power storage systems, and secondary batteries for
leveling the amount of power supply and smart grid. In addition,
moving objects (transporters) driven by an electric motor using
electric power from a secondary battery are also included in the
category of the electrical devices. Examples of the moving objects
are electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) which
include both an internal-combustion engine and a motor, plug-in
hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), tracked vehicles in which
caterpillar tracks are substituted for wheels of these vehicles,
agricultural machines, motorized bicycles including motor-assisted
bicycles, motorcycles, electric wheelchairs, electric carts, boats
or ships, submarines, aircrafts such as fixed-wing aircraft and
rotary-wing aircraft, rockets, artificial satellites, space probes,
planetary probes, and spacecrafts.
[0146] In the electrical devices, the nonaqueous secondary battery
one embodiment of the present invention can be used as a main power
source for supplying enough electric power for almost the whole
power consumption. Alternatively, in the electrical devices, the
nonaqueous secondary battery of one embodiment of the present
invention can be used as an uninterruptible power source which can
supply power to the electrical devices when the supply of power
from the main power source or a commercial power source is stopped.
Still alternatively, in the electrical devices, the nonaqueous
secondary battery of one embodiment of the present invention can be
used as an auxiliary power source for supplying electric power to
the electrical devices at the same time as the power supply from
the main power source or a commercial power source.
4.3. Example of Electric Power Network
[0147] The electrical devices may each include a secondary battery
or may be connected wirelessly or with a wiring to one or more of
secondary batteries and a control device controlling the electrical
devices and one or more of the secondary batteries to form a
network (electric power network). The network controlled by the
control device can improve usage efficiency of electric power in
the whole network.
[0148] FIG. 9A illustrates an example of a home energy management
system (HEMS) in which a plurality of home appliances, a control
device, a secondary battery, and the like are connected in a house.
Such a system makes it possible to check easily the power
consumption of the whole house. In addition, the plurality of home
appliances can be operated with a remote control. Further,
automatic control of the home appliances with a sensor or the
control device can also contribute to low power consumption.
[0149] A distribution board 503 set in a house 500 is connected to
an electric power system 501 through a service wire 502. The
distribution board 503 supplies AC power which is electric power
supplied from a commercial power source through the service wire
502 to each of the plurality of home appliances. A control device
504 is connected to the distribution board 503 and also connected
to the plurality of home appliances, a power storage system 505, a
solar power generation system 506, and the like. Further, the
control device 504 can also be connected to an electric vehicle 512
which is parked outside the house 500 or the like and operates
independently of the distribution board 503.
[0150] The control device 504 connects the distribution board 503
to the plurality of home appliances to form a network, and controls
the plurality of home appliances connected to the network.
[0151] In addition, the control device 504 is connected to Internet
511 and thus can be connected to a management server 513 through
the Internet 511. The management server 513 receives data on the
status of electric power usage of users and therefore can create a
database and can provide the users with a variety of services based
on the database. Further, as needed, the management server 513 can
provide the users with data on electric power charge for a
corresponding time zone, for example. On the basis of the data, the
control device 504 can set an optimized usage pattern in the house
500.
[0152] Examples of the plurality of home appliances are a display
device 507, a lighting device 508, an air-conditioning system 509,
and an electric refrigerator 510 which are illustrated in FIG. 9A.
However, the plurality of home appliances are not limited to these
examples, and refer to a variety of electrical devices which can be
set inside a house, such as the above-described electrical
devices.
[0153] In a display portion of the display device 507, a
semiconductor display device such as a liquid crystal display
device, a light-emitting device including a light-emitting element,
e.g., an organic electroluminescent (EL) element, in each pixel, an
electrophoretic display device, a digital micromirror device (DMD),
a plasma display panel (PDP), or a field emission display (FED) is
provided, for example. A display device functioning as a display
device for displaying information, such as a display device for TV
broadcast reception, a personal computer, advertisement, or the
like, is included in the category of the display device 507.
[0154] The lighting device 508 includes an artificial light source
which generates light artificially by utilizing electric power in
its category. Examples of the artificial light source are an
incandescent lamp, a discharge lamp such as a fluorescent lamp, and
a light-emitting element such as a light emitting diode (LED) and
an organic EL element. Although being provided on a ceiling in FIG.
9A, the lighting device 508 may be installation lighting provided
on a wall, a floor, a window, or the like or desktop lighting.
[0155] The air-conditioning system 509 has a function of adjusting
an indoor environment such as temperature, humidity, and air
cleanliness. FIG. 9A illustrates an air conditioner as an example.
The air conditioner includes an indoor unit in which a compressor,
an evaporator, and the like are integrated and an outdoor unit (not
illustrated) in which a condenser is incorporated, or an integral
unit thereof.
[0156] The electric refrigerator 510 is an electrical device for
the storage of food and the like at low temperature and includes a
freezer for freezing at 0.degree. C. or lower. A refrigerant in a
pipe which is compressed by a compressor absorbs heat when
vaporized, and thus inside the electric refrigerator 510 is
cooled.
[0157] The plurality of home appliances may each include a
secondary battery or may use electric power supplied from the power
storage system 505 or the commercial power source without including
the secondary battery. By using a secondary battery as an
uninterruptible power source, the plurality of home appliances each
including the secondary battery can be used even when electric
power cannot be supplied from the commercial power source due to
power failure or the like.
[0158] In the vicinity of a terminal fir power supply in each of
the above-described home appliances, an electric power sensor such
as a current sensor can be provided. Data obtained with the
electric power sensor is send to the control device 504, which
makes it possible for users to check the used amount of electric
power of the whole house. In addition, on the basis of the data,
the control device 504 can determine the distribution of electric
power supplied to the plurality of home appliances, resulting in
the efficient or economical use of electric power in the house
500.
[0159] In a time zone when the usage rate of electric power which
can be supplied from the commercial power source is low, the power
storage system 505 can be charged with electric power from the
commercial power source. Further, with the use of the solar power
generation system 506, the power storage system 505 can be charged
during the daytime. Note that an object to be charged is not
limited to the power storage system 505, and a secondary battery
included in the electric vehicle 512 and the secondary batteries
included in the plurality of home appliances which are connected to
the control device 504 may each be the object to be charged.
[0160] Electric power stored in a variety of secondary batteries in
such a manner is efficiently distributed by the control device 504,
resulting in the efficient or economical use of electric power in
the house 500.
[0161] As an example of controlling a network of a plurality of
electrical devices, one or more of secondary batteries, and a
control device which controls the electrical devices and one or
more of the secondary batteries, the example of controlling an
electric power network on a house scale is described above;
however, the scale of the electric power network is not limited
thereto. An electric power network on an urban scale or a national
scale (also referred to as a smart grid) can be created by a
combination of a control device such as a smart meter and a
communication network. Further, a microgrid which is on a scale of
a factory or an office and includes an energy supply source and a
plant consuming electric power as units can be constructed.
4.4. Example of Electrical Device (Example of Electric Vehicle)
[0162] Next, as an example of the electrical devices, a moving
object is described with reference to FIGS. 9B and 9C. The
secondary battery of one embodiment of the present invention can be
used as a secondary battery for controlling the moving object.
[0163] FIG. 9B illustrates an example of a structure inside an
electric vehicle. An electric vehicle 560 includes a secondary
battery 564 that can be charged and discharged. Output of electric
power of the secondary battery 564 is adjusted by an electronic
control unit (ECU) 565 so that the electric power is supplied to a
drive motor unit 567 through an inverter unit 566. The inverter
unit 566 can convert DC power input from the secondary battery 564
into three phase AC power, can adjust the voltage, current, and
frequency of the converted AC power, and can output the AC power to
the drive motor unit 567.
[0164] Thus, when a driver presses an accelerator pedal (not
illustrated), the drive motor unit 567 works, so that torque
generated in the drive motor unit 567 is transferred to rear wheels
(drive wheels) 570 through an output shaft 568 and a drive shaft
569. Front wheels 563 are operated following the rear wheels 570,
whereby the electric vehicle 560 can be driven.
[0165] Sensors such as a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and a
temperature sensor are provided in each of the units to monitor
physical values of each part of the electric vehicle 560, as
appropriate.
[0166] The electronic control unit 565 is a processing device
including a memory such as a RAM or a ROM, and a CPU, which are not
illustrated. The electronic control unit 565 outputs a control
signal to the inverter unit 566, the drive motor unit 567, or the
secondary battery 564 on the basis of operational information of
the electric vehicle 560 (e.g., acceleration, deceleration, or a
stop), temperature information of a driving environment or each
unit, control information, or input data on the state of charge
(SOC) of the secondary battery or the like. Various data and
programs are stored in the memory.
[0167] The drive motor unit 567 can be used in combination with any
of an AC motor, a DC motor, and an internal-combustion engine.
[0168] Note that it is needless to say that one embodiment of the
present invention is not limited to the moving object described
above as long as the secondary battery of one embodiment of the
present invention is included.
[0169] The secondary battery 564 included in the electric vehicle
560 can be charged by being supplied with electric power through
external charging equipment by a plug-in system, a contactless
power supply system, or the like. FIG. 9C illustrates the state
where the secondary battery 564 included in the electric vehicle
560 is charged with the use of a ground-based charging apparatus
561 through a cable 562. In charging, a given method such as
CHAdeMO (registered trademark) may be referred to for a charging
method, the standard of a connector, or the like as appropriate.
The charging apparatus 561 may be a charging station provided in a
commerce facility or a power source in a house. For example, with
the use of a plug-in technique in which a connecting plug 571
illustrated in FIG. 9B and connected to the secondary battery 564
is electrically connected to the charging apparatus 561, the
secondary battery 564 included in the electric vehicle 560 can be
charged by being supplied with electric power from outside. The
secondary battery 564 can be charged by converting external
electric power into DC constant voltage having a predetermined
voltage level through a converter such as an AC-DC converter.
[0170] Further, although not illustrated, a power receiving device
may be included in the moving object to charge the secondary
battery by supplying electric power from an above-ground power
transmitting device in a non-contact manner. In the case of the
contactless power supply system, by fitting the power transmitting
device in a road or an exterior wall, charging can be performed not
only when the electric vehicle is stopped but also when driven. In
addition, the contactless power supply system may be utilized to
perform transmission/reception between moving objects. Furthermore,
a solar cell may be provided in an exterior of the moving object to
charge the secondary battery 564 when the electric vehicle is
stopped or driven.
[0171] Note that in the case where the moving object is an electric
railway vehicle, a secondary battery included therein can be
charged by being supplied with electric power from an overhead
cable or a conductor rail.
[0172] With the use of the secondary battery of one embodiment of
the present invention as the secondary battery 564, the secondary
battery 564 can have favorable cycle characteristics and improved
convenience. When the secondary battery 564 itself can be more
compact and more lightweight as a result of improved
characteristics of the secondary battery 564, the electric vehicle
can be lightweight and fuel efficiency can be increased. Further,
the secondary battery 564 included in the moving object has
relatively large capacity; therefore, the secondary battery 564 can
be used as an electric power supply source for indoor use, for
example. In such a case, the use of a commercial power source can
be avoided at peak time of electric power demand.
4.5. Example of Electrical Device (Example of Portable Information
Terminal)
[0173] In addition, as another example of the electrical devices, a
portable information terminal is described with reference to FIGS.
10A to 10C.
[0174] FIG. 10A is a perspective view illustrating a front surface
and a side surface of a portable information terminal 600. The
portable information terminal 600 is capable of executing a variety
of applications such as mobile phone calls, e-mailing, viewing and
editing texts, music reproduction, Internet communication, and a
computer game. In the portable information terminal 600, a housing
601 includes a display portion 602, a camera lens 605, a microphone
606, and a speaker 607 on its front surface, a button 603 for
operation on its left side, and a connection terminal 608 on its
bottom surface.
[0175] A display module or a display panel is used for the display
portion 602. Examples of the display module or the display panel
are a light-emitting device in which each pixel includes a
light-emitting element typified by an organic light-emitting
element (OLED); a liquid crystal display device; an electronic
paper performing a display in an electrophoretic mode, an
electronic liquid powder (registered trademark) mode, or the like;
a digital micromirror device (DMD); a plasma display panel (PDP); a
field emission display (FED); a surface conduction electron-emitter
display (SED); a light-emitting diode (LED) display; a carbon
nanotube display; a nanocrystal display; and a quantum dot
display.
[0176] The portable information terminal 600 illustrated in FIG.
10A is an example of providing the one display portion 602 in the
housing 601; however, one embodiment of the present invention is
not limited to this example. The display portion 602 may be
provided on a rear surface of the portable information terminal
600. Further, the portable information terminal 600 may be a
foldable portable information terminal in which two or more display
portions are provided.
[0177] A touch panel with which data can be input by an instruction
means such as a finger or a stylus is provided as an input means on
the display portion 602. Therefore, icons 604 displayed on the
display portion 602 can be easily operated by the instruction
means. Since the touch panel is provided, a region for a keyboard
on the portable information terminal 600 is not needed and thus the
display portion can be provided in a large region. Further, since
data can be input with a finger or a stylus, a user-friendly
interface can be obtained. Although the touch panel may be of any
of various types such as a resistive type, a capacitive type, an
infrared ray type, an electromagnetic induction type, and a surface
acoustic wave type, the resistive type or the capacitive type is
particularly preferable because the display portion 602 of one
embodiment of the present invention can be curved. Furthermore,
such a touch panel may be what is called an in-cell touch panel, in
which a touch panel is integral with the display module or the
display panel.
[0178] The touch panel may also function as an image sensor. In
this case, for example, an image of a palm print, a fingerprint, or
the like is taken with the display portion 602 touched with the
palm or the finger, whereby personal authentication can be
performed. Furthermore, with the use of backlight or a sensing
light source emitting near-infrared light for the display portion
602, an image of a finger vein, a palm vein, or the like can also
be taken.
[0179] Further, instead of the touch panel, a keyboard may be
provided in the display portion 602. Furthermore, both the touch
panel and the keyboard may be provided.
[0180] The button 603 for operation can have various functions in
accordance with the intended use. For example, the button 603 may
be used as a home button so that a home screen is displayed on the
display portion 602 by pressing the button 603. Further, the
portable information terminal 600 may be configured such that main
power source thereof is turned off with a press of the button 603
for a predetermined time. A structure may also be employed in which
a press of the button 603 brings the portable information terminal
600 which is in a sleep mode out of the sleep mode. Besides, the
button can be used as a switch for starting a variety of functions,
for example, depending on the length of time for pressing or by
pressing the button at the same time as another button.
[0181] Further, the button 603 may be used as a volume control
button or a mute button to have a function of adjusting the volume
of the speaker 607 for outputting sound, for example. The speaker
607 outputs various kinds of sound, examples of which are sound set
for predetermined processing, such as startup sound of an operating
system (OS), sound from sound files executed in various
applications, such as music from music reproduction application
software, and an incoming e-mail alert. Although not illustrated, a
connector for outputting sound to a device such as headphones,
earphones, or a headset may be provided together with or instead of
the speaker 607 for outputting sound.
[0182] As described above, the button 603 can have various
functions. Although the number of the button 603 is two in the
portable information terminal 600 in FIG. 10A, it is needless to
say that the number, arrangement, position, or the like of the
buttons is not limited to this example and can be designed as
appropriate.
[0183] The microphone 606 can be used for sound input and
recording. Images obtained with the use of the camera lens 605 can
be displayed on the display portion 602.
[0184] In addition to the operation with the touch panel provided
on the display portion 602 or the button 603, the portable
information terminal 600 can be operated by recognition of user's
movement (gesture) (also referred to as gesture input) using the
camera lens 605, a sensor provided in the portable information
terminal 600, or the like. Alternatively, with the use of the
microphone 606, the portable information terminal 600 can be
operated by recognition of user's voice (also referred to as voice
input). By introducing a natural user interface (NUI) technique
which enables data to be input to an electrical device by natural
behavior of a human, the operational performance of the portable
information terminal 600 can be further improved.
[0185] The connection terminal 608 is a terminal for inputting a
signal at the time of communication with an external device or
inputting electric power at the time of power supply. For example,
the connection terminal 608 can be used for connecting an external
memory drive to the portable information terminal 600. Examples of
the external memory drive are storage medium drives such as an
external hard disk drive (HDD), a flash memory drive, a digital
versatile disk (DVD) drive, a DVD recordable (DVD-R) drive, a
DVD-rewritable (DVD-RW) drive, a compact disc (CD) drive, a compact
disc recordable (CDR) drive, a compact disc rewritable (CD-RW)
drive, a magneto-optical (MO) disc drive, a floppy disk drive
(FDD), and a nonvolatile solid state drive (SSD) device different
from the above. Although the portable information terminal 600 has
the touch panel on the display portion 602, a keyboard may be
provided on the housing 601 instead of the touch panel or may be
externally added.
[0186] Although the number of the connection terminal 608 is one in
the portable information terminal 600 in FIG. 10A, it is needless
to say that the number, arrangement, position, or the like of the
connection terminals is not limited to this example and can be
designed as appropriate.
[0187] FIG. 10B is a perspective view illustrating the rear surface
and the side surface of the portable information terminal 600. In
the portable information terminal 600, the housing 601 includes a
solar cell 609 and a camera lens 610 on its rear surface; the
portable information terminal 600 further includes a charge and
discharge control circuit 611, a secondary battery 612, a DC-DC
converter 613, and the like. FIG. 10B illustrates an example where
the charge and discharge control circuit 611 includes the secondary
battery 612 and the DC-DC converter 613. The nonaqueous secondary
battery of one embodiment of the present invention, which is
described in the above embodiment, is used as the secondary battery
612.
[0188] The solar cell 609 attached on the rear surface of the
portable information terminal 600 can supply power to the display
portion, the touch panel, a video signal processor, and the like.
Note that the solar cell 609 can be provided on one or both
surfaces of the housing 601. By including the solar cell 609 in the
portable information terminal 600, the secondary battery 612 in the
portable information terminal 600 can be charged even in a place
where an electric power supply unit is not provided, such as
outdoors.
[0189] As the solar cell 609, it is possible to use any of the
following: a silicon-based solar cell including a single layer or a
stacked layer of single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon,
microcrystalline silicon, or amorphous silicon; an InGaAs-based,
GaAs-based, CIS-based, Cu.sub.2ZnSnS.sub.4-based, or
CdTe--CdS-based solar cell; a dye-sensitized solar cell including
an organic dye; an organic thin film solar cell including a
conductive polymer, fullerene, or the like; a quantum dot solar
cell having a pin structure in which a quantum dot structure is
formed in an i-layer with silicon or the like; and the like.
[0190] Here, an example of a structure and operation of the charge
and discharge control circuit 611 illustrated in FIG. 10B is
described with reference to a block diagram in FIG. 10C.
[0191] FIG. 10C illustrates the solar cell 609, the secondary
battery 612, the DC-DC converter 613, a converter 617, a switch
614, a switch 615, a switch 616, and the display portion 602. The
secondary battery 612, the DC-DC converter 613, the converter 617,
and the switches 614 to 616 correspond to the charge and discharge
control circuit 611 in FIG. 10B.
[0192] The voltage of electric power generated by the solar cell
609 with the use of external light is raised or lowered by the
DC-DC converter 613 to be at a level needed for charging the
secondary battery 612. When electric power from the solar cell 609
is used for the operation of the display portion 602, the switch
614 is turned on and the voltage of the electric power is raised or
lowered by the converter 617 to a voltage needed for operating the
display portion 602. In addition, when display on the display
portion 602 is not performed, the switch 614 is turned off and the
switch 615 is turned on so that the secondary battery 612 may be
charged.
[0193] Although the solar cell 609 is described as an example of a
power generation means, the power generation means is not
particularly limited thereto, and the secondary battery 612 may be
charged by another power generation means such as a piezoelectric
element or a thermoelectric conversion element (Peltier element).
The charging method of the secondary battery 612 in the portable
information terminal 600 is not limited thereto, and the connection
terminal 608 may be connected to a power source to perform charge,
for example. The secondary battery 612 may be charged by a
non-contact power transmission module performing charge by
transmitting and receiving electric power wirelessly (without
contact), or any of the above charging methods may be used in
combination.
[0194] Here, the state of charge (SOC) of the secondary battery 612
is displayed on the upper left corner (in the dashed frame in FIG.
10A) of the display portion 602. Thus, the user can check the state
of charge of the secondary battery 612 and can accordingly select a
power saving mode of the portable information terminal 600. When
the user selects the power saving mode, for example, the button 603
or the icons 604 can be operated to switch the components of the
portable information terminal 600, e.g., the display module or the
display panel, an arithmetic unit such as CPU, and a memory, to the
power saving mode. Specifically, in each of the components, the use
frequency of a given function is decreased to stop the use.
Further, the portable information terminal 600 can be configured to
be automatically switched to the power saving mode depending on the
state of charge. Furthermore, by providing a sensor such as an
optical sensor in the portable information terminal 600, the amount
of external light at the time of using the portable information
terminal 600 is sensed to optimize display luminance, which makes
it possible to reduce the power consumption of the secondary
battery 612.
[0195] In addition, when charging with the use of the solar cell
609 or the like is performed, an image or the like showing that the
charging is performed with the solar cell may be displayed on the
upper left corner (in the dashed frame) of the display portion 602
as illustrated in FIG. 10A.
[0196] It is needless to say that one embodiment of the present
invention is not limited to the electrical device illustrated in
FIGS. 10A to 10C as long as the secondary battery of one embodiment
of the present invention is included.
EXAMPLE 1
[0197] The positive electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery of
one embodiment of the present invention is specifically described
below with the use of this example. In this example, NMC was used
as an active material in forming the positive electrode for a
nonaqueous secondary battery of one embodiment of the present
invention. Note that the present invention is not limited to this
example.
(Formation of Active Material (NMC))
[0198] First, as the active material,
LiNi.sub.1/3Mn.sub.1/3Co.sub.1/3O.sub.2 that is a kind of NMC
having a layered rock salt structure was formed. Hereinafter
LiNi.sub.1/3Mn.sub.1/3Co.sub.1/3O.sub.2 is referred to as NMC for
convenience. Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, NiO, MnO.sub.2, and Co.sub.3O.sub.4
were used as raw materials to form NMC and weighed to satisfy the
above composition.
[0199] Next, the raw materials were mixed and crushed with a
planetary ball mill. With the use of a 500 ml zirconia pot and 300
g of zirconia balls with a diameter of 3 mm, the raw materials with
a total weight of 150 g were subjected to ball milling at a
rotation speed of 300 rpm for 2 hours. In the mixing and crushing,
250 ml acetone was used as a solvent.
[0200] Next, predrying was performed with a hot plate. The
predrying was performed in the air at 50.degree. C. for 1 hour to 2
hours with an air flow of 0.5 m/s wind velocity.
[0201] Then, with the use of a vacuum dryer, drying was performed
in a vacuum of 0.1 MPa at 80.degree. C. for 2 hours. The steps up
to the drying step were performed in a dry room with a dew point
higher than or equal to -70.degree. C. and lower than or equal to
-55.degree. C.
[0202] Next, with the use of a muffle furnace, baking was performed
in an air atmosphere at 950.degree. C. for 5 hours. A temperature
rising rate of the muffle furnace was 200.degree. C./h.
[0203] Then, aggregates of particles of the active material were
cracked by the ball mill. The cracking was performed in the same
condition as the mixing and crushing of the raw materials except
that treatment time was 30 minutes.
[0204] Lastly, with the use of the vacuum dryer, drying was
performed in a vacuum of 0.1 MPa at 175.degree. C. for 2 hours. The
cracking and the drying were performed in the dry room with a dew
point higher than or equal to -70.degree. C. and lower than or
equal to -55.degree. C.
[0205] In such a manner, NMC
(LiNi.sub.1/3Mn.sub.1/3Co.sub.1/3O.sub.2) that is the active
material with the layered rock salt structure was formed.
[0206] The formed NMC was identified as
LiNi.sub.1/3Mn.sub.1/3Co.sub.1/3O.sub.2 belonging to the space
group R-3m (166). Results of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurement
showed that the lattice constants of the a-axis and the b-axis are
each 28.622 nm and the lattice constant of the c-axis is 142.352
nm. In addition, the size of a crystallite is 186.4 nm and the
surface area obtained with a BET specific surface meter is 2.06
m.sup.2/g.
[0207] The obtained particle size distribution of the NMC is shown
in FIG. 18A. In FIG. 18A, the horizontal axis represents the
particle size (.mu.m) and the vertical axis represents the relative
intensity. The thin line shows the particle size distribution of
the NMC before the cracking; the thick line shows the particle size
distribution of the NMC after the cracking. Through the cracking,
the center of the particle size distribution is around 2 .mu.m.
(Formation of Graphene Oxide)
[0208] Graphene oxide was formed in the following steps.
[0209] Firstly, 4 g of graphite powder (BF-40AK manufactured by
Chuetsu Graphite Works Co., Ltd) was added to 138 ml of
concentrated sulfuric acid (96%). Then, 18 g of potassium
permanganate was slowly added to the mixture in an ice bath, and
the mixture was stirred for 4.5 hours after the temperature was
gradually increased to 25.degree. C. to dissolve the potassium
permanganate. Secondly, 276 ml of ultrapure water was slowly added
to the obtained green solution in the ice bath at lower than or
equal to 40.degree. C. After the aqueous sulfuric acid solution was
put into an oil bath at 98.degree. C. for 15 minutes and cooled,
400 ml of ultrapure water was additionally added to the aqueous
solution. Thirdly, 54 ml of a 30% hydrogen peroxide solution was
added to the obtained solution to stop the reaction.
[0210] The obtained solution was subjected to filtration or
centrifugation to separate the solid content thereof. The solid
content was diluted with water again and washed several times. The
solid content washed in such a manner was dried. Thus, a sample of
graphene oxide powder, Sample GOA, was obtained.
[0211] Another sample of graphene oxide powder, Sample GOB, was
obtained in a manner similar to that of Sample GOA except that 18 g
of potassium permanganate was added to 4 g of graphite powder and
the mixture was stirred at 25.degree. C. for 2 hours and 35.degree.
C. for 30 minutes.
[0212] Samples GOA and GOB were analyzed by XPS. The atomic ratio
O/C of each of Samples GOA and GOB was in the range of 0.50 to
0.54. In addition, Samples GOA and GOB were each heated under a
nitrogen atmosphere. The temperature was increased to 300.degree.
C. at 3.degree. C./min, and kept at 300.degree. C. for 30 minutes.
In each sample, the weight ratio of the obtained RGO to the raw
graphene oxide was 50% to 55%. Although the amount of dehydration
was measured with the Karl Fischer moisture meter in the heating,
there was no significant difference in the maximum temperature of
dehydration between Sample GOA and Sample GOB. Further, when
Samples GOA and GOB were heated in a vacuum at 170.degree. C. for
10 hours, the weight ratio of the obtained RGO to the raw graphene
oxide was 55% to 65% in each sample. As for the condition of the
synthesis of graphene oxide, there was no significant difference in
any case. Although there was slight difference in the conductivity
between the obtained RGO powders, the conditions of the synthesis
of graphene oxide are not described below. Note that the same
graphene oxide was used for each comparison between samples
described below.
(Formation of Positive Electrode A)
[0213] With the use of the active material formed as described
above, a positive electrode was formed.
[0214] NMP (produced by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) which is
a polar solvent was prepared as a dispersion medium. After graphene
oxide was dispersed into NMP, the NMC formed as described above was
added and the mixture was kneaded. PVdF as a binder was added to
the mixture of the graphene oxide and the NMC, and then NMF was
further added as the dispersion medium and mixed, whereby a paste
was formed.
[0215] The paste formed in such a manner was applied onto
20-.mu.m-thick aluminum foil serving as a current collector, dried
in an air atmosphere at 80.degree. C. for 40 minutes, and then
dried under a reduced-pressure atmosphere at 170.degree. C. for 10
hours; thus the graphene oxide in the paste was reduced to form
graphene. In the paste, the compounding ratio of the NMC to the
graphene oxide and the PVdF was 94:1:5 (weight ratio). Note that in
order to remove the influence of the interface resistance between
the current collector and an active material layer, a surface of
the current collector was coated with an undercoat. The positive
electrode formed in such a manner is referred to as Positive
Electrode A. Here, the "undercoat" refers to a film formed over a
current collector before applying a positive electrode paste onto
the current collector for the purpose of reducing the interface
resistance between an active material layer and the current
collector or increasing the adhesion between the active material
layer and the current collector. Note that the undercoat is not
necessarily formed in a film shape, and may be formed in an island
shape. For the undercoat, a carbon material can be used, for
example. Examples of the carbon material are graphite, carbon black
such as acetylene black or ketjen black, and carbon nanotubes.
(Observation of Positive Electrode A)
[0216] A cross-section of the active material layer of Positive
Electrode A, which was formed as described above and in which
graphene oxide was used as the raw material of graphene, was
observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). FIGS. 11A and
11B and FIGS. 12A and 12B show observation results.
[0217] In FIG. 11A and FIGS. 12A and 12B, which are enlarged views
of FIG. 11A, a plurality of NMC particles 701 that are the active
material are observed in the active material layer of Positive
Electrode A. The NMC particles 701 observed in the SEM images have
a diameter of approximately 0.2 .mu.m to 2.0 .mu.m. Here, white
thread-like or string-like portions correspond to graphene 702. The
graphene 702 can be seen like a thread or a string in a gap (void)
between the plurality of particles of the active material and also
adheres to surfaces of the particles of the active material.
[0218] Some of the graphene 702 in the SEM image in FIG. 11A are
highlighted by the thick white lines in FIG. 11B. The graphene 702
is in surface contact with the NMC particle 701 so as to surround a
surface of the NMC particle 701. In addition, the graphene 702 is
in contact with the plurality of NMC particles 701 so as to connect
the plurality of NMC particles 701 to each other. FIGS. 11A and 11B
show that the graphene 702 is almost uniformly and
three-dimensionally dispersed into the active material layer. The
graphene 702 is in surface contact with the plurality of NMC
particles 701 and also pieces of the graphene 702 are in surface
contact with each other, which indicates that the pieces of the
graphene are connected to each other to form a network for electron
conduction in the active material layer.
(Measurement of Characteristics of Battery Using Positive Electrode
A)
[0219] Positive Electrode A, which was formed as described above
and in which graphene oxide was used as the raw material of
graphene, was provided in a half cell to measure charge and
discharge characteristics thereof. When the characteristics were
measured, a CR2032 coin-cell battery (with a diameter of 2.0 mm and
a height of 3.2 mm) was used as a cell. Lithium foil was used as a
negative electrode and 25-.mu.m-thick polypropylene (PP) was used
as a separator. An electrolyte solution to be used was formed in
such a manner that lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF.sub.6) was
dissolved at a concentration of 1 mol/L in a solution in which
ethylene carbonate (EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) were mixed in a
volume ratio of 1:1. In charging, CCCV charging at 0.2 C was
performed; the upper limit voltage was 4.5 V and the lower limit
current at constant voltage was 0.01 C. In discharging, CC,
discharging at 0.2 C was performed. The measurement was conducted
at a room temperature (25.degree. C.).
[0220] FIG. 14 shows discharge characteristics. The horizontal axis
represents discharge capacity (mAh/g) and the vertical axis
represents voltage (V). The thick line is a curve showing the
charge and discharge characteristics of the cell including Positive
Electrode A in which graphene oxide was used as the raw material of
graphene. As described above, the compounding ratio of the active
material (NMC) to the graphene oxide and the binder (PVdF) was
94:1:5 (wt %). The active material layer had a thickness of 69
.mu.m, and a density of 3.1 g/cm.sup.3.
[0221] For comparison, the thin line shows the charge and discharge
characteristics of a cell including a conventional positive
electrode (hereinafter referred to as Positive Electrode X) in
which acetylene black (AB) was used as a conductive additive
instead of graphene. The compounding ratio of an active material
(NMC) to the AB and a binder (PVdF) was 94:1:5 (wt %), which is the
same as that in the active material layer of Positive Electrode A.
An active material layer had a thickness of 70 .mu.m and a density
of 3.2 g/cm.sup.3. As the AB, a powdery product of DENKI KAGAKU
KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA was used. The specific surface area was 68
m.sup.2/g and the average particle diameter was 35 nm.
[0222] The measurement results in FIG. 14 shows that the cell
including Positive Electrode X in which the AB was used as the
conductive additive in the active material layer has a discharge
capacity of approximately 150 mAh/g, whereas the cell including
Positive Electrode A in which graphene oxide was used as the raw
material of graphene in the active material layer has a discharge
capacity of approximately 180 mAh/g. This suggests that discharge
capacity is dramatically increased when graphene oxide is used as a
raw material of graphene in an active material layer.
[0223] When graphene oxide is used as a raw material of graphene in
an active material layer, a plurality of particles of an active
material are in contact with each other owing to a high dispersion
property of graphene oxide, and also pieces of graphene are in
contact with each other to form a three-dimensional path for
electron conduction. For this reason, it is probable that most of
the particles of the active material contribute to formation of
charge and discharge capacity.
[0224] Here, FIG. 13A shows a SEM image of a cross-section of the
active material layer in Positive Electrode X using the AB. In the
SEM image, a plurality of NMC particles 705 and AB 706 which is
localized to fill gaps between the NMC particles 705 are
observed.
[0225] In. FIG. 13B, part of the AB 706 is highlighted as a white
region. The AB 706 is not provided uniformly in the active material
layer, and is partly aggregated.
[0226] This indicates that the AB 706 has a low dispersion property
in the active material layer. Thus, it is probable that the NMC
particles 705 in a region where the ratio of the AR 706 is low
cannot contribute to formation of battery capacity.
EXAMPLE 2
[0227] In this example, lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO.sub.2) that is
one of examples of the active material having the layered rock salt
structure was used as an active material to form the positive
electrode for a nonaqueous secondary battery of one embodiment of
the present invention. Note that the present invention is not
limited to this example.
(Formation of Active Material (Lithium Cobalt Oxide))
[0228] In this example, as the active material, lithium cobalt
oxide (LiCoO.sub.2) having the layered rock salt structure was
formed. Li.sub.2CO.sub.3 and Co.sub.3O.sub.4 were used as raw
materials to form lithium cobalt oxide and weighed to satisfy the
composition, Li: Co=1:1.
[0229] Next, the raw materials were mixed and crushed with a ball
mill. With the use of a 50 ml zirconia pot and 20 g of zirconia
balls with a diameter of 3 mm, the raw materials with a total
weight of 10 g were subjected to ball milling at a rotation speed
of 400 rpm for 2 hours. In the mixing and crushing, 25 ml acetone
was used as a solvent.
[0230] Next, predrying was performed with a hot plate. The
predrying was performed in the air at 50.degree. C. for 1 hour to 2
hours with an air flow of 0.5 m/s wind velocity.
[0231] Next, with the use of a muffle furnace, baking was performed
in an air atmosphere at 950.degree. C. for 5 hours. A temperature
rising rate of the muffle furnace was 230.degree. C./h. Then,
aggregated particles of the active material were cracked with the
use of a zirconia mortar and a stainless steel sieve.
[0232] Lastly, with the use of the vacuum dryer, drying was
performed in a vacuum of 0.1 MPa at 175.degree. C. for 2 hours. The
drying was performed in a thy room with a dew point higher than or
equal to -70.degree. C. and lower than or equal to -55.degree.
C.
[0233] In such a manner, lithium cobalt oxide that is the active
material with the layered rock salt structure was formed.
[0234] The formed lithium cobalt oxide was identified as
LiCoO.sub.2 belonging to the space group R-3m (166). Results of XRD
measurement showed that the lattice constants of the a-axis and the
b-axis are each 28.157 mm and the lattice constant of the c-axis is
140.493 nm. In addition, the size of a crystallite is 412.2 nm and
the surface area obtained with a BET specific surface meter is 1.4
m.sup.2/g.
[0235] The particle size distribution of the lithium cobalt oxide
is shown in FIG. 18B. In FIG. 18B, the horizontal axis represents
the particle size (.mu.m) and the vertical axis represents the
relative intensity. The thin line shows the particle size
distribution of the lithium cobalt oxide before the cracking; the
thick line shows the particle size distribution of the lithium
cobalt oxide after the cracking. Through the cracking, the center
of the particle size distribution is around 3 .mu.m.
(Formation of Positive Electrode B)
[0236] With the use of the active material formed as described
above, a positive electrode was formed.
[0237] NMP (produced by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) which is
a polar solvent was prepared as a dispersion medium. After graphene
oxide was dispersed into NMP, the lithium cobalt oxide formed as
described above was added and the mixture was kneaded. PVdF as a
binder was added to the mixture of the graphene oxide and the
lithium cobalt oxide, and then NMP was further added as the
dispersion medium and mixed, whereby a paste was formed.
[0238] The paste formed in such a manner was applied onto
20-.mu.m-thick aluminum foil serving as a current collector, dried
in an air atmosphere at 80.degree. C. for 40 minutes, and then
dried under a reduced-pressure atmosphere at 170.degree. C. for 10
hours; thus the graphene: oxide in the paste was reduced to form
graphene. In the paste, the compounding ratio of the lithium cobalt
oxide to the graphene oxide and the PVdF was 94:1:5 (wt %). Note
that to remove the influence of the interface resistance between
the current collector and an active material layer, a surface of
the current collector was coated with an undercoat. The positive
electrode formed in such a manner is referred to as Positive
Electrode B.
(Observation of Positive Electrode B)
[0239] A cross-section of the active material layer of Positive
Electrode B, which was formed as described above and in which
graphene oxide was used as the raw material of graphene, was
observed with a SEM. FIGS. 15A and 15B and FIGS. 16A and 16B show
observation results.
[0240] In FIG. 15A and FIGS. 16A and 16B, which are enlarged views
of FIG. 15A, a plurality of lithium cobalt oxide particles 711 that
are the active material are observed in the active material layer
of Positive Electrode B. The lithium cobalt oxide particles 711
observed in the SEM images have a diameter of approximately 0.2
.mu.m to 3.0 .mu.m. Here, white thread-like or string-like portions
correspond to graphene 712. The graphene 712 can be seen like a
thread or a string in a gap (void) between the plurality of
particles of the active material and also adheres to surfaces of
the particles of the active material.
[0241] Some of the graphene 712 in the SEM image in FIG. 15A are
highlighted by the thick white lines in FIG. 15B. The graphene 712
is in surface contact with a surface of the lithium cobalt oxide
particle 711. In particular, crystal growth is encouraged in the
surface of the lithium cobalt oxide particle 711, and thus the
lithium cobalt oxide particle 711 is large in size; therefore, the
whole of the lithium cobalt oxide particle 711 has an angular shape
and high proportion of flat regions. Accordingly, a flat plane of
the lithium cobalt oxide particle 711 is in surface contact with
the graphene 712. In addition, the graphene 712 is in contact with
the plurality of lithium cobalt oxide particles 711 so as to
connect the plurality of lithium cobalt oxide particles 711. FIGS.
15A and 15B show that the graphene 712 is almost uniformly and
three-dimensionally dispersed into the active material layer. The
graphene 712 is in surface contact with the plurality of lithium
cobalt oxide particles 711 and also pieces of the graphene 712 are
in surface contact with each other, which indicates that the pieces
of the graphene are connected to each other to form a network for
electron conduction in the active material layer.
(Measurement of Characteristics of Battery Using Positive Electrode
B)
[0242] Positive Electrode B, which was formed as described above
and in which graphene oxide was used as the raw material of
graphene, was provided in a half cell to measure charge and
discharge characteristics thereof in a manner similar to that of
Positive Electrode A.
[0243] When the characteristics were measured, a CR2032 coin-cell
battery (with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 3.2 mm) was used
as a cell. Lithium foil was used as a negative electrode and
25-.mu.m-thick polypropylene (PP) was used as a separator. An
electrolyte solution to be used was formed in such a manner that
lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF.sub.6) was dissolved at a
concentration of 1 mol/L in a solution in which ethylene carbonate
(EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) were mixed in a volume ratio of
1:1. In charging, CCCV charging at 0.2 C was performed; the upper
limit voltage was 4.2 V and the lower limit current at constant
voltage was 0.01 C. At this time, the charging was finished at 160
mAh/g. In discharging, CC discharging at 0.2 C, 1 C, 2 C, and 5 C
was performed. The measurement was conducted at a room temperature
(25.degree. C.).
[0244] FIG. 17 shows discharge characteristics. The horizontal axis
represents discharge capacity (mAh/g) and the vertical axis
represents voltage (V). The curves in FIG. 17 are discharge curves
showing results at 0.2 C, 1 C, 2 C, and 5 C in this order from the
top. As described above, the compounding ratio of the active
material (lithium cobalt oxide) to the graphene oxide and the
binder (PVdF) was 94:1:5 (wt %). The electrode had a thickness of
26 .mu.m and a density of 2.9 g/cm.sup.3.
[0245] The measurement results in FIG. 17 shows that sufficient
discharge characteristics can be obtained even when lithium cobalt
oxide is used as an active material. The discharge capacity is 160
mAh/g in each of the results at 0.2 C, 1 C, and 2 C because the
charging was finished at a discharge capacity of 160 mAh/g.
[0246] As a comparative example, an example of using LiFePO.sub.4
as an active material is described. LiFePO.sub.4 was synthesized by
a solid phase method with the use of Li.sub.2CO.sub.3,
FeC.sub.2O.sub.4, and NH.sub.4H.sub.2PO.sub.4 as raw materials.
Prebaking was performed at 350.degree. C. and baking was performed
at 600.degree. C. The obtained sample is called N--LiFePO4. In
addition, another sample called C--LiFePO4 was formed in the
condition similar to that of N--LiFePO4 except that 10 wt % glucose
was added before the baking at 600.degree. C.
[0247] N--LiFePO4 was used to form comparative samples of a
positive electrode in the following manner. LiFePO.sub.4, graphene
oxide, and PVdF were mixed in a weight ratio of 93:2:5 to form
slurry, and then the slurry was applied to aluminum foil; thus,
Comparative Sample PEA was formed. LiFePO.sub.4, graphene (AO-1
manufactured by Graphene Supermarket), and PVdF were mixed in a
weight ratio of 90:5:5 to form slurry, and then the slurry was
applied to aluminum foil; thus, Comparative Sample PEB was formed.
LiFePO.sub.4, acetylene black (manufactured by DENKI KAGAKU KOGYOU
KABUSHIKI KAISHA; specific surface area of 68 m.sup.2/g), and PVdF
were mixed in a weight ratio of 80:15:5 to form slurry, and then
the slurry was applied to aluminum foil; thus, Comparative Sample
PEC was formed. C--LiFePO4 was used to form a comparative sample of
the positive electrode in the following manner. LiFePO.sub.4,
graphene oxide, and PVdF were mixed in a weight ratio of 85:8:7 to
form slurry and then, the slurry was applied to aluminum foil;
thus, Comparative Sample PED was formed. Note that NMP was used as
a dispersion medium in each comparative sample.
[0248] Comparative Sample PEA had a thickness of 30 .mu.m and a
density of 2.6 g/cm.sup.3 as an active material layer. Comparative
Sample PER had a thickness of 43 .mu.m and a density of 1.5
g/cm.sup.3. Comparative Sample PEC had a thickness of 23 .mu.m and
a density of 1.4 g/cm.sup.3. Comparative Sample PED had a thickness
of 66 .mu.m and a density of 1.7 g/cm.sup.3.
[0249] The comparative samples were each provided in a half cell to
measure charge and discharge characteristics thereof. The
characteristics were measured with the use of a CR2032 coin-cell
battery (with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 3.2 mm) as a
cell. Lithium foil was used as a negative electrode and
25-.mu.m-thick polypropylene (PP) was used as a separator. An
electrolyte solution to be used was formed in such a manner that
lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF.sub.6) was dissolved at a
concentration of 1 mol/L in a solution in which ethylene carbonate
(EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) were mixed in a volume ratio of
1:1. In charging, CCCV charging at 0.2 C was performed; the upper
limit voltage was 4.3 V and the lower limit current at constant
voltage was 0.01 C. In discharging, CC discharging at 0.2 C or 1 C
was performed; the lower limit voltage was 2.0 V. The measurement
was conducted at a room temperature (25.degree. C.). Further,
capacity per weight of the positive electrode active material,
which is obtained from the compounding ratio, is represented.
[0250] Comparative Sample PEA had a discharge capacity of 159 mAh/g
at 0.2 C; Comparative Sample PEB, 152 mAh/g; Comparative Sample
PEC, 129 mAh/g; and Comparative Sample PED, 155 mAh/g. Comparative
Sample PEA had a discharge capacity of 148 mAh/g at 1 C;
Comparative Sample PEB, 136 mAh/g; Comparative Sample PEC, 106
mAh/g; and Comparative Sample PED, 145 mAh/g.
[0251] Comparative Sample PED had capacity close to the theoretical
capacity of LiFePO.sub.4, 170 mAh/g. In Comparative Sample PEA,
only RGO serves as a conductive additive. Although 2 wt % graphene
oxide was used as a raw material of the RGO in Comparative Sample
PEA, the RGO served well as the conductive additive. In addition,
Comparative Sample PEA had capacity equivalent to that of
Comparative Sample PED. Comparative Sample PEB containing 5 wt %
graphene had capacity a little lower than that of Comparative
Sample PED at 1 C. Comparative Sample PEC containing 15 wt %
acetylene black had discharge capacity extremely lower than that of
Comparative Sample PED at 0.2 C.
[0252] The above-described results reveal that, when graphene oxide
is used as a raw material of graphene included in an active
material layer, a dispersion property in a polar solvent is high
because of functional groups of the graphene oxide, which enables
the graphene formed by reduction to be highly dispersed into the
active material layer. This demonstrates that graphene can form a
network for electron conduction in an active material layer,
whereby a positive electrode with high electron conductivity can be
formed.
[0253] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application
serial No. 2012-245467 filed with Japan Patent Office on Nov. 7,
2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
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