Method of charging lithium ion secondary battery including a constant current, charging apparatus, and power supply apparatus

• US 7,583,058 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams; Arun
• Application Number:
  US10/986,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20050194934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 429/231.1, 429/231.9, 429/231.95, 320/107, 320/128
• 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, the lithium ion secondary battery comprising 1) a positive electrode that includes a mixed metal oxide containing at least Li, Mn, and Ni as metal components as a positive electrode active material, 2) a negative electrode, and 3) a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, the method comprising:

constant current charging the lithium ion secondary battery with a set charging current value I1 corresponding to a set value nC satisfying a condition represented by an expression (1);

10C<

nC≦

60C 

 

(1)

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

the mixed metal oxide simultaneously satisfies conditions of 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)

0.55≦

Z≦

0.8 

 

(IV)

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

2. 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 a condition represented by an expression (2):

10C<

nC≦

30C 

 

(2)

where C is defined as in the expression (1), and n is a number from 2 to 30.

3. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

monitoring a potential of an anode [V vs. SHE] during the constant current charging and,

stopping the constant current charging when the potential reaches a set potential E1 within a range of +1.3 V to +2.0 V.

4. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 3, further comprising:

constant voltage charging the lithium ion secondary battery to keep the set potential E1 after the constant current charging;

monitoring a constant voltage charging current value; and

stopping the constant voltage charging when the constant voltage charging current value reaches a set current value I2.

5. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a potential of an anode [V vs. SHE];

stopping the constant current charging when the potential reaches +1.2 V;

constant voltage charging the lithium ion secondary battery to keep the potential after the constant current charging;

monitoring a constant voltage charging current value; and

stopping the constant voltage charging when the constant voltage charging 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, further comprising:

monitoring a battery voltage;

stopping the constant current charging when the battery voltage reaches +4.2 V;

constant voltage charging the lithium ion secondary battery to keep a potential after the constant current charging;

monitoring a constant voltage charging current value; and

stopping the constant voltage charging when the constant voltage charging current value reaches a set current value I2.

7. 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, further comprising:

monitoring a battery voltage;

stopping the constant current charging when the battery voltage reaches +2.7 V;

constant voltage charging the lithium ion secondary battery to keep a potential after the constant current charging;

monitoring a constant voltage charging current value; and

stopping the constant voltage charging when the constant voltage charging current value reaches a set current value I2.

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

and

wherein a content α

of propylene carbonate volume percentage, a content β

of ethylene carbonate volume percentage, and a content γ

volume percentage of diethyl carbonate in the solvent simultaneously satisfy conditions represented by expressions (3) to (6);

10≦

α

≦

60 

 

(3)

1≦

β

≦

20 

 

(4)

30≦

γ

≦

85 

 

(5)

α

+β

+γ

=100 

 

(6).

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

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 method of charging according to claim 1 to regulate a charging rate of the lithium ion secondary battery.

14. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a lithium ion secondary battery; and

the charging apparatus for charging the lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 13.

9. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery, the lithium ion secondary battery comprising 1) a positive electrode that includes a mixed metal oxide containing at least Li, Mn, and Ni as metal components as a positive electrode active material, 2) a negative electrode, and 3) a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, the method comprising:

constant current charging the lithium ion secondary battery with a set charging current value I1 corresponding to a set value nC satisfying a condition represented by an expression (1);

2C≦

nC≦

60C 

 

(1)

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

monitoring a battery voltage, and

stopping the constant current charging when the battery voltage reaches a set voltage value Δ

E1 within a range of +4.3 V to +5.0 V, wherein

the negative electrode contains a conductive carbon material as a negative electrode active material;

wherein

the mixed metal oxide simultaneously satisfies conditions of 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)

0.55≦

Z≦

0.8 

 

(IV)

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

10. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 9, further comprising:

constant voltage charging the lithium ion secondary battery to keep the set voltage value Δ

E1 after the constant current charging;

monitoring a constant voltage charging current value; and

stopping the constant voltage charging when the constant voltage charging current value reaches a set current value I2.

11. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery, the lithium ion secondary battery comprising 1) a positive electrode that includes a mixed metal oxide containing at least Li, Mn, and Ni as metal components as a positive electrode active material, 2) a negative electrode, and 3) a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, the method comprising:

constant current charging the lithium ion secondary battery with a set charging current value I1 corresponding to a set value nC satisfying a condition represented by an expression (1);

2C≦

nC≦

60C 

 

(1)

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

monitoring a battery voltage, and

stopping the constant current charging when the battery voltage reaches a set voltage value Δ

E1 within a range of +2.8 V to +3.5 V, wherein

the negative electrode contains lithium titanate as a negative electrode active material;

wherein

the mixed metal oxide simultaneously satisfies conditions of 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)

0.55≦

Z≦

0.8 

 

(IV)

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

12. A method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 11, further comprising:

constant voltage charging the lithium ion secondary battery to keep the set voltage value Δ

E1 after the constant current charging;

monitoring a constant voltage charging current value; and

stopping the constant voltage charging when the constant voltage charging current value reaches a set current value I2.