Synthesis of high-density nickel cobalt aluminum hydroxide by continuous coprecipitation method.

Spherical nickel cobalt aluminum hydroxide (Ni(0.80)Co(0.15)Al(0.05)-hydroxide, NCA) was prepared by a continuous coprecipitation method. A new design of the Al solution and the feeding method was applied, which enabled to prevent rapid precipitation of Al(OH)(3) and to obtain spherical NCA with large enough particle size and high density. The active material (LiNi(0.80)Co(0.15)Al(0.05)O(2) or LNCA) prepared from it showed higher tap-density than that made from NCA prepared by general processes, and homogeneity of Al-distribution was also improved. It is expected that the electrode density of lithium ion batteries adopting LNCA could be improved with the new process proposed in this study.