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 .
Remarks
Claims 1, 7 and 9 have been amended. Claims 2-6 and 8 are as previously presented. Claims 9-15 are withdrawn from consideration. Claims 1-8 are currently examined.
Status of Objections and Rejections
The rejection as set forth within the previous office action has been modified as necessitated by the applicants amendments.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (Inhibition of excessive SEI-forming and improvement of structure stability for LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 by Li2MoO4 coating, as cited within IDS), and further in view of Xiao (US 2022/0112094).
As to claim 1, Yu discloses a cathode active material (Abstract, and discussed throughout) for a lithium secondary battery (Introduction and Electrochemical Testing; as the battery is being cycled it is a secondary battery) comprising a plurality of a lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle (Li2MoO4-coated LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2; Abstract and discussed throughout) having a shape of primary particles (figure 1 and Material Characterization), wherein the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle comprises a lithium-molybdenum-containing portion having a hexagonal close-packed structure is formed on the primary particles (Results and Discussion; also seen throughout).
Yu is silent to lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle having a shape of a secondary particle in which primary particles are aggregated and a hexagonal closed packed structure is formed between the primary particles within the inner region of the secondary particle. Xiao discloses nickel rich lithium manganese cobalt oxide for cathodes ([0068]) wherein aggregated particle structure shortens the diffusion length of the primary particles and increases the number of pores and grain boundaries within the secondary particles, which accelerate the electrochemical reaction and improves the rate capability ([0069]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to use a secondary particle in which primary particles are aggregated because aggregated particle structure shortens the diffusion length of the primary particles and increases the number of pores and grain boundaries within the secondary particles, which accelerate the electrochemical reaction and improves the rate capability ([0069], Xiao) and as a mere combing prior art elements according to known methods to obtain predictable results (see MPEP 2143 I). Thus, the coating being a hexagonal closed structure would be formed between the primary particles within the inner region of the secondary particle.
As to claim 2, modified Yu discloses wherein, the primary particles have a hexagonal close-packed structure (Results and Discussion; seen throughout, also see MPEP 2112 and above claims).
As to claim 3, modified Yu discloses wherein, the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle does not include primary particles having a face centered cubic structure (Results and Discussion; seen throughout, also see MPEP 2112 and above claims).
As to claim 6, modified Yu is silent to wherein, a carbon content remaining on an outer surface of the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle and between the primary particles measured by a CS (carbon-sulfur) analyzer is 1,200 ppm or less. However, as carbon is an impurity, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to have carbon content being as low as possible as a mere purifying an old product (see MPEP 2144.04 VII).
As to claim 7, modified Yu discloses wherein, the lithium-molybdenum-containing portion is further present on an outer surface of the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle. ([0069], Xiao; as the particles of Yu would be make up the primary and secondary particles, and the lithium-molybdenum is a coating the structural limitation is present in the combination).
As to claim 8, modified Yu discloses a lithium secondary battery (Introduction and Electrochemical Testing; as the battery is being cycled it is a secondary battery), comprising a cathode comprising a cathode active material layer, the cathode active material layer comprising the cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery of claim 1 (Electrochemical Testing, seen throughout); and an anode facing the cathode (Electrochemical Testing, seen throughout).
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Yu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ren (Facile synthesis of Li2MoO4 coated LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 composite as a novel cathode for high-temperature lithium batteries, as cited within IDS).
As to claims 4 and 5, modified Yu is silent to wherein, a content of molybdenum in the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle measured through an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis is in a range from 1,000 ppm to 14,000 ppm based on a total weight of the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle (1,200 ppm to 7,000 ppm for claim 5).
Ren discloses a lithium ion battery (Abstract) composing a cathode active material comprising a lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese-oxide (Abstract) coated with Li2MoO4 (Abstract) wherein the amount of content of molybdenum in the lithium-transition metal composite oxide particle is a result effective variable (give that the only location of the molybdenum is within the coating and thus the coating and molybdenum are directly proportional) as the coating layer facilitates the migration of lithium-ion on the surface of the material, thereby decreasing the resistance of electrochemical reaction (Electrochemical Performance, Ren), thus there need to be a minim amount of coating to receive the benefits of the coating layer. However, due to the low electric conductivity of Li2MoO4, to thick of a coating layer causes high total polarization (Electrochemical Performance, Ren). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to optimize the amount of molybdenum as a result effective variable (see MPEP 2144.05 II).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/15/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues that Yu is silent to the hexagonal closed packed structure. The examiner respectfully disagrees as Yu states within the Results and Discussion section within the first paragraph “…indicating that the coating samples still have the same layered hexagonal alpha-NaFeO2 structure and R-3m space group…” Thus the coating layer having a closed packed structure and is formed on the primary particle. Therefore, the examiner maintains the rejection.
The applicant than argues the prior art Xiao teaches away from the secondary particle configuration. The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Xiao [0069] states: … aggregation of nano-sized primary particles into micro-sized secondary polycrystalline particles. This aggregated particle structure shortens the diffusion length of the primary particles and increases the number of pores and grain boundaries within the secondary particles, which accelerate the electrochemical reaction and improves the rate capability of NMC. …
The negative potions that the applicant point to are due to the high Ni within the mixture not the aggregation.
Xiao [0069] states: … as the Ni content increases above 0.6, challenges arise. For example, such Ni-rich NMC cathodes are subject to moisture sensitivity, aggressive side reactions, and/or gas generation during cycling, raising safety concerns…
The applicant it not taking the art or the combination as a hole. Therefore the examiner maintains the rejection.
The applicant also did not address the MPEP 2143 I, as mere combing prior art elements according to known methods to obtain predictable results (see MPEP 2143 I).
Therefore the examiner maintains the rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN R OHARA whose telephone number is (571)272-0728. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 AM-3:30 PM EST M-F.
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/BRIAN R OHARA/Examiner, Art Unit 1724