Method of charging lithium ion secondary battery, charging apparatus, and power supply apparatus

• US 20050194934A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Toshifumi, Maruyama, Satoshi, Ogawa, Kazuya, Iijima, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0569 characterised by the solvents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery uses a lithium ion secondary battery comprising a positive electrode including a mixed metal oxide containing at least Li, Mn, and Ni as metal components as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt; and includes a constant current charging step of carrying out constant current charging with a set charging current value I1 corresponding to a set value nC satisfying the condition represented by the expression of 2C≦nC≦60C, where C is a rated capacity value of the lithium ion secondary battery, and n is a number of 2 to 60.

Claims

1. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery using a lithium ion secondarly battery comprising a positive electrode including a mixed metal oxide containing at least Li, Mn, and Ni as metal components as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt;

the method including a constant current charging step of carrying out constant current charging with a set charging current value I1 corresponding to a set value nC satisfying the condition represented by the following expression (1);

2C≦

nC≦

60C  

 

(1)

where C is a rated capacity value of the lithium ion secondary battery, and n is a number of 2 to 60.

2. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the mixed metal oxide simultaneously satisfies the conditions represented by the following general expressions (I) to (IV):

Li_xMn_yNi_zCo_(1-y-z)O₂  

 

(I)
0.85≦

X≦

1.1  

 

(II)
0.1≦

Y≦

0.5  

 

(III)
0.2≦

Z≦

0.8  

 

(IV)

where X, Y, and Z in expression (I) indicate values simultaneously satisfying the conditions of expressions (II) to (IV).

3. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the set charging current value I1 is a charging current value corresponding to a set value nC satisfying the condition represented by the following expression (2):

2C≦

nC≦

30C  

 

(2)

where C is defined as in the general expression (1), and n is defined as in the general expression (1).

4. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein, while monitoring a potential of an anode [V vs. SHE] in the constant current charging step, the constant current charging is carried out until the potential reaches a set potential E1 within the range of +1.3 V to +2.0 V.

5. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 4, further comprising a constant voltage charging step of regulating a charging voltage constantly so as to keep the set potential E1 after the constant current charging step;

wherein the constant voltage charging step monitors a decaying state of the charging current value and carries out constant voltage charging until the current value reaches a set current value I2.

6. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode contains a conductive carbon material as a negative electrode active material;

and

wherein the constant current charging step monitors a battery voltage and carries out the constant current charging until the voltage reaches a set voltage value Δ

E1 within the range of +4.3 V to +5.0 V.

7. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 6, further comprising a constant voltage charging step of regulating a charging voltage constantly so as to keep the set voltage value Δ

E1 after the constant current charging step;

wherein the constant voltage charging step monitors a decaying state of the charging current value and carries out constant voltage charging until the current value reaches a set current value I2.

8. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode contains lithium titanate as a negative electrode active material;

and

wherein the constant current charging step monitors a battery voltage and carries out the constant current charging until the voltage reaches a set voltage value Δ

E1 within the range of +2.8 V to +3.5 V.

9. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 8, further comprising a constant voltage charging step of regulating a charging voltage constantly so as to keep the set voltage value Δ

E1 after the constant current charging step;

wherein the constant voltage charging step monitors a decaying state of the charging current value and carries out constant voltage charging until the current value reaches a set current value I2.

10. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein, while monitoring a potential of an anode [V vs. SHE], the constant current charging step carries out the constant current charging until the potential reaches +1.2 V;

wherein the method further comprises a constant voltage charging step of regulating a charging voltage constantly so as to keep the potential after the constant current charging step; and

wherein the constant voltage charging step monitors a decaying state of the charging current value and carries out constant voltage charging until the current value reaches a set current value I2.

11. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode contains a conductive carbon material as a negative electrode active material;

wherein the constant current charging step monitors a battery voltage and carries out the constant current charging until the voltage reaches +4.2 V;

wherein the method further comprises a constant voltage charging step of regulating a charging voltage constantly so as to keep a potential after the constant current charging step; and

wherein the constant voltage charging step monitors a decaying state of the charging current value and carries out constant voltage charging until the current value reaches a set current value I2.

12. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode contains lithium titanate as a negative electrode active material;

wherein the constant current charging step monitors a battery voltage and carries out the constant current charging until the voltage reaches +2.7 V;

wherein the method further comprises a constant voltage charging step of regulating a charging voltage constantly so as to keep a potential after the constant current charging step; and

wherein the constant voltage charging step monitors a decaying state of the charging current value and carries out constant voltage charging until the current value reaches a set current value I2.

13. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein a solvent contained in the nonaqueous electrolytic solution is constituted by propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and diethyl carbonate;

and

wherein the content α

[vol %] of propylene carbonate, content β

[vol %] of ethylene carbonate, and content γ

[vol %] of diethyl carbonate in the solvent simultaneously satisfy the conditions represented by the following expressions (3) to (6)

10≦

α

≦

60  

 

(3)
1≦

β

≦

20  

 

(4)
30≦

γ

≦

85  

 

(5)
α

+β

+γ

=100  

 

(6)

14. A charging apparatus for charging a lithium ion secondary battery to be charged, the apparatus comprising at least:

a power supply part for supplying power to the lithium ion secondary battery; and

a charging control part for controlling the power supply part in conformity to the charging method according to claim 1 so as to regulate the charging rate of the lithium ion secondary battery upon charging.

15. A power supply apparatus comprising at least:

a lithium ion secondary battery; and

the charging apparatus for charging the lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 14.