DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 4-6 recite the limitation “average arc length” which renders the meaning of the claims indefinite. Applicant has not defined the radius nor the central angle range(s) used to determine the arc length. It is unclear if the radius is that of the particle, the round-cornered structure, the recessed portion, or something different. It is also unclear which central angle is to be used, in a similar manner to the radius. Additionally it is unclear if the average arc length is to be determined for the rounded edge in the direction around the recessed portion, for the rounded edge in the direction starting inside the recessed portion, over the rounded edge and toward the joint, or something different. The Instant application does not appear to provide any guidance as to either which arc length, radius or central angle is intended, as it does not recite which arc length, the radius or central angle, in any context including in the determination of the arc length, but only recites “average arc length”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu CN108400307A (using machine English translation provided; cited in IDS filed 29 September 2022) in view of Dong CN104538609A (using machine English translation provided; cited in office action mailed 24 June 2025).
Regarding claim 1, Xu discloses a negative electrode material (Xu, [0007], “an apple-shaped embedded silicon-carbon anode material”), comprising:
a silicon-based material (Xu, [0037], “core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 5 micrometers”, Fig. 1, core 1),
graphite (Xu, [0037], “a graphite material of about 4 micrometers”, Fig. 1, part 2)
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wherein a particle of the silicon-based material comprises at least one recessed portion (Xu, [0037, “The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, Figs. 2-3, particle with recess, see annotated Figs. below),
each recessed portion of the at least one recessed portion is 50 nm to 20 µm in width (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers”, recessed portion, as shown in annotated Figs. 2-3 above, is about 25-90% of the diameter of the particle, which is about 4.5 µm, falling within the claimed range),
and 50 nm to 10 µm in depth (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, the recessed portion is about 0 to 4 µm in depth, as the graphite in the recesses portion is about 4 µm thick, as shown in the annotated Figs. 2-3 above),
and particles of the graphite are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material (Xu, [0047], “the middle part 2 is a graphite material…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2”, [0049], “graphite…the particle size D50＝0.8μm”). Xu however does not disclose comprising a conductive agent, and particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material.
Dong teaches a negative electrode material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention”), comprising: a silicon-based material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention, the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide), graphite (Dong, [0014], “The carbon material is at least one of…graphite”), and a conductive agent (Dong, [0014], “The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon…”, [0070], ”conductive agent acetylene black”), and particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material (Dong, [0014], “the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide. The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon and graphite...”). Therefore it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the negative electrode material of Xu with the teaching of Dong wherein comprising a conductive agent, and particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material thereby effectively improving the ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity of the material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention, the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide. The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon and graphite, thereby effectively improving the ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity of the material.”).
Regarding claim 2, modified Xu teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above and additionally teaches wherein the particle of the silicon-based material comprises a plurality of recessed portions (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”)
and a joint thickness between the plurality of recessed portions is 30 nm to 10 µm (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, the core diameter is about 4.5 µm, as shown in the annotated Figs. 2-3 above, and has recesses at both ends of the middle part, falling within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 3, modified Xu teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also teaches wherein the joint thickness between the plurality of recessed portions is 30 nm to 5 µm (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, the core diameter is about 4.5 µm, as shown in the annotated Figs. 2-3 above, and has recesses at both ends of the middle part, falling within the claimed range).
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Regarding claim 4, modified Xu further teaches wherein the particle of the silicon-based material further comprises at least one round-cornered structure (Xu, [0010], “The middle part is cylindrical with rounded edges, the core is filled inside the middle part, and recesses are formed at both ends of the middle part”, Figs. 2-3, annotate below),
and an average arc length of the at least one round-cornered structure is 1 µm to 50 µm (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…”, the round-cornered structure appears to be about 25% of the diameter in one direction and 90% of the diameter in the other direction, of the about 4.5 µm silicon-based material, as the central angle has not been defined, the claim limitation is satisfied as S = Rθ, and for R about 0.563 (25%) and 2.025 (90%) µm, θ = 88.9 and 22.2, respectively, when S = 50 µm and θ = 1.8 and 0.5, respectively, when S = 1 µm, falling within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 5, modified Xu additionally teaches wherein the average are length of the at least one round-cornered structure is 20 µm to 50 µm (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…”, as the central angle has not been defined, the claim limitation is satisfied as S = Rθ, and for R about 0.563 and 2.025 µm, θ = 22.2 and 88.9, respectively, when S = 50 µm and θ = 8.9 and 17.8, respectively, when S = 10 µm, which appear to fall within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 6, modified Xu also teaches wherein the average arc length of the at least one round-cornered structure is 1 µm to 30 µm (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…”, the round-cornered structure appears to be about 25% of the diameter in one direction and 90% of the diameter in the other direction, of the about 4.5 µm silicon-based material, as the central angle has not been defined, the claim limitation is satisfied as S = Rθ, and for R about 0.563 (25%) and 2.025 (90%) µm, θ = 53.3. and 14.8, respectively, when S = 30 µm and θ = 0.5 and 1.8, respectively, when S = 1 µm, falling within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 7, modified Xu teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above, particles of the graphite are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material (Xu, [0047], “the middle part 2 is a graphite material…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2”, [0049], “graphite…the particle size D50＝0.8μm”) (see claim 1 above), and wherein the silicon-based material is about 4.5 µm and the width of the recessed portion is about 25-90% of the diameter of the silicon-based material (see annotated Figs. 2-3 in claim 1). While modified Xu does not explicitly recite wherein c<3a, and b<3a, a is an average width of the at least one recessed portion, b is a median particle size D50 of the graphite, and c is an average minimum particle width of the graphite, the limitation b<3a, a is an average width of the at least one recessed portion, b is a median particle size D50 of the graphite, is satisfied by the teaching of modified Xu wherein for graphite (b =)D50＝0.8 μm and for the recessed portion (a =) 25-90% of about 4.5 µm, 0.8 µm < 3 * 1.125 µm (25%) and 0.8 µm < 3 * 4.05 µm (90%) and it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention wherein c<3a, a is an average width of the at least one recessed portion, and c is an average minimum particle width of the graphite, as the average minimum particle width would be less than D50 of the same particle as one is the average size the other the minimum width (i.e., one dimension of the size), thereby effectively limiting the excessive volume expansion of silicon during lithium absorption (Xu, [0007]).
Regarding claim 8, modified Xu further teaches wherein the silicon-based material comprises at least one of silicon or silicon carbon (Xu, [0015-0017]).
Regarding claim 9, Xu as modified by Dong teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above and further teaches wherein the conductive agent comprises at least one of acetylene black (Xu, [0070], ”conductive agent acetylene black”).
Regarding claim 10, modified Xu also teaches wherein the negative electrode material further comprises: a binder (Xu, [0012], “binder accounting for 1-3% of the graphite mass”),
a mass ratio of the silicon-based material, the carbon material, and the binder is 5-40:55-90: 0.5-10 (Xu, [0012], “binder accounting for 1-3% of the graphite mass”, [0015], “The mass of the silicon powder is 5-10% of the mass of material II, and the mass of the binder I is 1-2% of the mass of material II.”, assuming, without loss of generality, 100 g of material, there would be 5-10 g of silicon-based material, 1-2 g of binder and 33.33-66.67 g of carbon material, falling within the claimed ratios). Xu as modified by Dong in claim 1 however does not teach the ratio of the conductive agent.
Dong teaches wherein the mass ratio of the conductive agent and binder is 1:1 (Dong, [0070], “conductive agent acetylene black and binder PVDF at a mass ratio of…1:1”). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the ratio of the conductive agent wherein a mass ratio of the silicon-based material, the carbon material, the conductive agent, and the binder is 5-40:55-90:0.5-10:0.5-10 thereby effectively improving the ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity of the material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention, the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide. The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon and graphite, thereby effectively improving the ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity of the material.”).
Regarding claim 11, modified Xu teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above in claim 10 and further teaches wherein a percentage of the mass of the silicon-based material in the total mass of the silicon-based material, the carbon material, the conductive agent, and the binder is 5% to 40% (Xu, [0012], “binder accounting for 1-3% of the graphite mass”, [0015], “The mass of the silicon powder is 5-10% of the mass of material II, and the mass of the binder I is 1-2% of the mass of material II.”, assuming, without loss of generality, 100 g of material, there would be 5-10 g of silicon-based material, 1-2 g of binder and 33.33-66.67 g of carbon material; Dong, [0070], “conductive agent acetylene black and binder PVDF at a mass ratio of…1:1”, corresponding to 1-2 g of conductive agent, which gives about 12.4 % for the percentage of the mass of the silicon-based material in the total mass, satisfying the claim limitation).
Regarding claim 12, modified teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above in claim 10 and also teaches wherein a percentage of the mass of the binder in the total mass of the silicon-based material, the carbon material, the conductive agent, and the binder is 0.5% to 10% (Xu, [0012], “binder accounting for 1-3% of the graphite mass”, [0015], “The mass of the silicon powder is 5-10% of the mass of material II, and the mass of the binder I is 1-2% of the mass of material II.”, assuming, without loss of generality, 100 g of material, there would be 5-10 g of silicon-based material, 1-2 g of binder and 33.33-66.67 g of carbon material; Dong, [0070], “conductive agent acetylene black and binder PVDF at a mass ratio of…1:1”, corresponding to 1-2 g of conductive agent, which gives about 2.5 % for the percentage of the mass of the binder in the total mass, satisfying the claim limitation).
Claim(s) 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park US20130252110A1 in view of Xu CN108400307A (using machine English translation provided; cited in IDS filed 29 September 2022) and further in view of Dong CN104538609A (using machine English translation provided; cited in office action mailed 24 June 2025).
Regarding claim 13, Park discloses an electrochemical apparatus (Park, [0064], “The lithium battery may be suitable for use as a power source…”) comprising: a positive electrode plate (Park, [0053], “positive electrode plate”), a negative electrode plate (Park, [0048], “negative electrode plate”), and a separator, disposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate (Park, [0054], “The positive electrode and the negative electrode may be separated from each other by a separator.”), wherein the negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode material (Park, [0048], “ the negative electrode plate may be manufactured by casting the negative active material”), comprising: a silicon-based material (Park, [0028], “the negative active material 10 includes a silicon-based particle 11”), graphite (Park, [0028], “the negative active material 10 includes a silicon-based particle 11 and a crystalline carbonaceous material including a graphite particle 12”)and a conductive agent (Park, [0045], “…an additional conductive material may be selectively used to increase the electrical conductivity of the negative active material”).
Park however does not disclose wherein a particle of the silicon-based material comprises at least one recessed portion, each recessed portion of the at least one recessed portion is 50 nm to 20 m in width, and 50 nm to 10 m in depth, and particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material.
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Xu teaches a negative electrode material (Xu, [0007], “an apple-shaped embedded silicon-carbon anode material”), comprising: a silicon-based material (Xu, [0037], “core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 5 micrometers”, Fig. 1, core 1), graphite (Xu, [0037], “a graphite material of about 4 micrometers”, Fig. 1, part 2). wherein a particle of the silicon-based material comprises at least one recessed portion (Xu, [0037, “The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, Figs. 2-3, particle with recess, see annotated Figs. below),
each recessed portion of the at least one recessed portion is 50 nm to 20 µm in width (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers”, recessed portion, as shown in annotated Figs. 2-3 above, is about 25-90% of the diameter of the particle, which is about 4.5 µm, falling within the claimed range), and 50 nm to 10 µm in depth (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, the recessed portion is about 0 to 4 µm in depth, as the graphite in the recesses portion is about 4 µm thick, as shown in the annotated Figs. 2-3 above), and particles of the graphite are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material (Xu, [0047], “the middle part 2 is a graphite material…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2”, [0049], “graphite…the particle size D50＝0.8μm”). Therefore it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the particle of the silicon-based material of Park with the teaching of Xu wherein a particle of the silicon-based material comprises at least one recessed portion, each recessed portion of the at least one recessed portion is 50 nm to 20 µm in width, and 50 nm to 10 µm in depth, and particles of the graphite are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material thereby having high initial coulombic efficiency and excellent cycle performance (Xu, [0080]).
Park as modified above by Xu however does not teach particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material.
Dong teaches a negative electrode material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention”), comprising: a silicon-based material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention, the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide), graphite (Dong, [0014], “The carbon material is at least one of…graphite”), and a conductive agent (Dong, [0014], “The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon…”, [0070], ”conductive agent acetylene black”), and particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material (Dong, [0014], “the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide. The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon and graphite...”). Therefore it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the negative electrode material of Park as modified above by Xu with the teaching of Dong wherein comprising a conductive agent, and particles of both the graphite and the conductive agent are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material thereby effectively improving the ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity of the material (Dong, [0014], “the negative electrode composite material for lithium-ion batteries of the present invention, the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the…silicon dioxide. The carbon material is at least one of hard carbon, soft carbon and graphite, thereby effectively improving the ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity of the material.”).
Regarding claim 14, modified Park teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Park as modified above by Xu in claim 13 however does not teach wherein a joint thickness between the plurality of recessed portions is 30 nm to 10 µm.
Xu teaches wherein a joint thickness between the plurality of recessed portions is 30 nm to 10 µm (Xu, [0046], “The core 1 is a carbon-coated silicon carbide material of about 4.5 micrometers, the middle part 2 is a graphite material of about 4 micrometers…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2.”, the core diameter is about 4.5 µm, as shown in the annotated Figs. 2-3 above, and has recesses at both ends of the middle part, falling within the claimed range). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify modifed Park with the teaching of Xu wherein a joint thickness between the plurality of recessed portions is 30 nm to 10 µm thereby having high initial coulombic efficiency and excellent cycle performance (Xu, [0080]).
Regarding claim 15, modified Park teaches all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Park as modified above by Xu in claim 13 however does not teach wherein a is an average width of the recessed portion, b is a median particle size D50 of the graphite, and c is an average minimum particle width of the graphite, wherein c<3a. and b<3a.
Xu teaches particles of the graphite are located in the at least one recessed portion of the particle of the silicon-based material (Xu, [0047], “the middle part 2 is a graphite material…The core 1 is filled inside the middle part 2 and has recesses at both ends of the middle part 2”, [0049], “graphite…the particle size D50＝0.8μm”), and wherein the silicon-based material is about 4.5 µm and the width of the recessed portion is about 25-90% of the diameter of the silicon-based material (see annotated Figs. 2-3 in claim 13). While modified Xu does not explicitly recite wherein c<3a, and b<3a, a is an average width of the at least one recessed portion, b is a median particle size D50 of the graphite, and c is an average minimum particle width of the graphite, the limitation b<3a, a is an average width of the at least one recessed portion, b is a median particle size D50 of the graphite, is satisfied by the teaching of modified Xu wherein for graphite (b =)D50＝0.8 μm and for the recessed portion (a =) 25-90% of about 4.5 µm, 0.8 µm < 3 * 1.125 µm (25%) and 0.8 µm < 3 * 4.05 µm (90%) and it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention wherein c<3a, a is an average width of the at least one recessed portion, and c is an average minimum particle width of the graphite, as the average minimum particle width would be less than D50 of the same particle as one is the average size the other the minimum width (i.e., one dimension of the size).
Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify modified Park with the teaching of Xu wherein a is an average width of the recessed portion, b is a median particle size D50 of the graphite, and c is an average minimum particle width of the graphite, wherein c<3a. and b<3a thereby having high initial coulombic efficiency and excellent cycle performance (Xu, [0080]).
Regarding claim 16, modified Park teaches an electronic apparatus (Park, [0064], “…electric vehicles…internal combustion engines, fuel cells, or super-capacitors to be used in hybrid vehicles”), comprising an electrochemical apparatus (Park, [0064], “The lithium battery may be suitable for use as a power source for electric vehicles…The lithium battery may be coupled to existing internal combustion engines, fuel cells, or super-capacitors to be used in hybrid vehicles”) according to claim 13 (see claim 13 above).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 6-8, filed 19 December 2025, with respect to the 103 rejection of claims 1-16 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 103 rejection of claims 1-16 has been withdrawn. Upon further consideration, the prior art Xu CN108400307A and Dong CN104538609A appear to read on the claim limitations as set forth above and does rely on the portions of the prior rejection of record specifically challenged in applicant’s arguments.
The examiner notes that applicant’s argument that while the translation of Dong does use the word “pores" in paragraph [0020], it appears in the context of "pores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide.", the disclosure of Dong appears related to the "pore channels" of natase [sic] titanium dioxide in paragraph [0035] and [0057] further discloses a pore channel in the context of brookite titanium dioxide. This is not persuasive. Dong specifically refers to the pores as micropores (Dong, [0014], “the carbon material is embedded in the micropores of the titanium dioxide and the silicon dioxide”, [0036], “the carbon material is also embedded in the micropores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide.”, [0044], “the carbon material is also embedded in the micropores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide.”, [0051], “ the carbon material is also embedded in the micropores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide.”, [0058], “the carbon material is also embedded in the micropores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide”, [0065], “the carbon material is also embedded in the micropores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide.”) and, as applicant has acknowledge, Dong [0020] teaches “the carbon material can also be distributed in the pores of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide”. The pores of Xu, as set forth above, are micron sized, i.e., micropores, and would be understood as such by the skilled artisan, overlapping with the claimed range and satisfying the claim limitations in combination with the other prior art, as set forth in the rejections above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li CN1891668A (discloses a silicon-based material negative electrode material decorated with nanometer sized graphite particles and a conductive agent).
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/JARED HANSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723