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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 12, 13, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tong et al (Matchmaker of Marriage between a Li Metal Anode and a NASICON-Structured Solid-State Electrolyte: Plastic Crystal Electrolyte and Three-Dimensional Host Structure; ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020, 12, 44754-44761).
Regarding claim 1, Tong teaches a solid-state electrolyte battery (abstract) comprising an anode (figure in abstract); a LiFePO4 cathode (44755 col 2, paragraph 4 and figure in abstract); a nonflammable solid-state electrolyte which is taught as LAGP (figure in abstract and abstract and 44754 col 1 paragraph 1). The figure in the abstract of Tong shows the LAGP electrolyte being between the LiFePO4 cathode and the anode. The figure in the abstract also shows that the LAGP is spaced away from the anode via a plastic crystal electrolyte PCE.
Regarding claim 12, Tong teaches the solid-state electrolyte battery to include succinonitrile (44755 col 1, paragraph 2).
Regarding claim 13, Tong teaches the solid-state electrolyte battery to include succinonitrile (44755 col 1, paragraph 2).
Regarding claim 18, Tong teaches a solid-state electrolyte battery (abstract) comprising an anode (figure in abstract); a LiFePO4 cathode (44755 col 2, paragraph 4 and figure in abstract); a nonflammable solid-state electrolyte which is taught as LAGP (figure in abstract and abstract and 44754 col 1 paragraph 1). The figure in the abstract of Tong shows the LAGP electrolyte being between the LiFePO4 cathode and the anode. The figure in the abstract also shows that the LAGP is spaced away from the anode via a plastic crystal electrolyte PCE.
Claim(s) 27, 28, and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al (CN113991174).
Regarding claim 27, Liu teaches a solid-state electrolyte membrane (abstract) usable in a lithium ion battery (0015). The solid electrolyte membrane includes a slurry (0007) including an organic-inorganic composite composed of PEO (0007) wherein the ratio of PEO to the LiTFSI is 5:1-15:1, and the ZiF modified by active inorganic filler accounts for 1-50% of the total mass of the PEO and the LiTFSI (0013); an active inorganic filler which is preferable LLZO garnet-type solid electrolyte powder (0008) wherein the ratio of PEO to the LiTFSI is 5:1-15:1, and the ZiF modified by active inorganic filler accounts for 1-50% of the total mass of the PEO and the LiTFSI (0013); and LiTFSI (0007).
Regarding claim 28, Liu teaches a solid-state electrolyte membrane (abstract) usable in a lithium ion battery (0015). The solid electrolyte membrane includes a slurry (0007) including an organic-inorganic composite composed of PEO (0007) wherein the ratio of PEO to the LiTFSI is 5:1-15:1, and the ZiF modified by active inorganic filler accounts for 1-50% of the total mass of the PEO and the LiTFSI (0013); an active inorganic filler which is preferable LLZO garnet-type solid electrolyte powder (0008) wherein the ratio of PEO to the LiTFSI is 5:1-15:1, and the ZiF modified by active inorganic filler accounts for 1-50% of the total mass of the PEO and the LiTFSI (0013); and LiTFSI (0007).
Regarding claim 29, Liu teaches a solid electrolyte used in a lithium ion battery (0015) including an anode and a cathode (0016) including an electrolyte therebetween, as discussed above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tong et al (Matchmaker of Marriage between a Li Metal Anode and a NASICON-Structured Solid-State Electrolyte: Plastic Crystal Electrolyte and Three-Dimensional Host Structure; ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020, 12, 44754-44761) in view of Angell et al (US 2020/0112057).
Regarding claim 8, Tong teaches the battery as discussed above.
Tong does not explicitly teach the instantly claimed plastic crystal electrolyte formula.
Angell teaches a plastic crystal electrolyte of the formula SiX3SO4Li in Table 1, specifically including LiSi(CH3)3(so4) wherein X is a hydrocarbon moiety (0003 and Table 1). This plastic crystal electrolyte is taught to exhibit a higher conductivity than typical plastic crystals (0007).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to utilize the plastic crystal electrolyte of Angell with the battery of Tong in order to provide for an electrolyte exhibiting higher conductivity.
Regarding claim 9, Angell teaches a plastic crystal electrolyte of the formula SiX3SO4Li in Table 1, specifically including LiSi(CH3)3(so4) wherein X is a hydrocarbon moiety (0003 and Table 1). This plastic crystal electrolyte is taught to exhibit a higher conductivity than typical plastic crystals (0007).
Regarding claim 10, Tong teaches the battery as discussed above.
Tong does not explicitly teach the first plastic crystal electrolyte interlayer comprises an inorganic salt as claimed.
Angell teaches a plastic crystal electrolyte comprised of an inorganic salt (0003) such as lithium sulfate which becomes a plastic crystal at high temperatures and exhibits good conductivity (0103).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to utilize the plastic crystal electrolyte of Angell with the battery of Tong in order to provide for an electrolyte exhibiting good conductivity.
Regarding claim 11, Angell teaches a plastic crystal electrolyte comprised of an inorganic salt (0003) such as lithium sulfate which becomes a plastic crystal at high temperatures and exhibits good conductivity (0103).
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tong et al (Matchmaker of Marriage between a Li Metal Anode and a NASICON-Structured Solid-State Electrolyte: Plastic Crystal Electrolyte and Three-Dimensional Host Structure; ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020, 12, 44754-44761) in view of Mitsuyama et al (JP 2020068081).
Regarding claim 14, Tong teaches the battery as discussed above.
Tong does not explicitly teach the plastic crystal electrolyte interlay comprising an organic ionic plastic crystal.
Mitsuyama teaches plastic crystal electrolytes (abstract) including pyrrolidinium ions (0016) which improves lithium ion conductivity (0006).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to utilize the pyrrolidinium of Mitsuyama with the electrolyte of Tong in order to improve lithium ion conducitivity.
Regarding claim 15, Mitsuyama teaches plastic crystal electrolytes (abstract) including pyrrolidinium ions (0016) which improves lithium ion conductivity (0006).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7, 16, 17, 19-26, and 30-33 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The closest prior art of record is considered to be Tong, as discussed above.
Tong neither teaches, nor renders obvious, the claimed inventions of claims 2-7, 16, 17, 19-26, and 30-33.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARAH A SLIFKA whose telephone number is (571)270-5838. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm EST.
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/SARAH A. SLIFKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759 February 25, 2026