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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-13, filed 02/02/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1 and 10 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Müller et al. (WO2019/042741).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Müller et al. (WO2019/042741).
Considering Claim 1, Müller discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte (electrolyte composition [Abstract], that is non-aqueous [page 7 lines 5-10]), comprising:
a non-aqueous organic solvent including a monofluoro-based organic solvent (FEC solvent E8 [Table 1]) and a difluoro-based organic solvent (DFEA solvent E8 [Table 1]);
a lithium salt (at least one lithium salt including E8 [page 3 lines 15-25, page 18 lines 25-35]); and
an additive (LiBOB additive E8 [Table 1]),
wherein a weight ratio of the difluoro-based organic solvent relative to the monofluoro-based organic solvent is in a range from 4.5 to 9 (DFEA to FEC relative weight range is 75:15 or 5:1 in E8 [Table 1, page 17 lines 5-10]).
Considering Claim 2, Müller discloses an FEC solvent E8 [Table 1], which reads on Chemical Formula 1.
Considering Claim 3, Müller discloses DFEA solvent E8 [Table 1], which reads on Chemical Formula 2.
Considering Claim 4, Müller discloses that the additive comprises a boron-based compound (LiBOB additive E8 [Table 1]).
Considering Claim 5, Müller discloses that the additive comprises a boron-based compound (LiBOB additive E8 [Table 1]).
Considering Claim 6, Müller discloses that a content of the additive is in a range from 0.1 wt% to 1.0 wt% based on a total weight of the non-aqueous electrolyte (LiBOB is 0.83 wt% of total electrolyte in E8 [Table 1]).
Considering Claim 7, Müller discloses a further auxiliary additive comprising an alkenyl sultone-based compound (PES additional additive in E8 [Table 1] (prop-1-ene-1,3-sultone [page 4 line 28]).
Considering Claim 8, Müller discloses that a content of the auxiliary additive is in a range from 0.8 wt% to 1.6 wt% based on a total weight of the non-aqueous electrolyte (PES additive in E8 is 1.46 wt% of total electrolyte [Table 1]).
Considering Claim 9, Müller discloses that the lithium salt includes at least one of lithium hexafluorophosphate LiPF6 [page 18].
Considering Claim 11, Müller discloses a lithium secondary battery (lithium metal battery [page 5 line 25]), comprising:
a cathode (cathode [page 19 line 15]);
an anode facing the cathode (anode facing cathode with interposed separator [page 19 line 15]); and
the non-aqueous electrolyte of claim 1 (electrolyte [page 19 line 16], see claim 1).
Conclusion
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/CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE/Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 1725