Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 04, 2026
Application No. 18/231,255

LITHIUM BIS(FLUOROSULFONYL)IMIDE AND PREPARATION METHOD THEREOF, ELECTROLYTIC SOLUTION AND SECONDARY BATTERY

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Aug 08, 2023
Priority
Jan 29, 2022 — continuation of PCT/CN2022/074931 +1 more
Examiner
LANGEL, WAYNE A
Art Unit
1736
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Catl-Sicong Novel Materials Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
1276 granted / 1623 resolved
+13.6% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+23.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
48 currently pending
Career history
1671
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
33.7%
-6.3% vs TC avg
§102
1.9%
-38.1% vs TC avg
§112
37.6%
-2.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1623 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 18/231,255 CTNF 60603 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-27-aia AIA Claim (s 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 ( a) (1 ) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over either CN 111620315A or CN 112919435A. No distinction is seen between the lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide formed according to theprocess of either CN 112919435A or CN 111620315A, and that which would be formed according to the process recited in applicant’s claim 1, particularly since the processes of CN 111620315A and CN 112919435A entail the reaction among ammonia, sulfuryl fluoride and triethylamine. (See English Abstract of each reference.) In any event, any differences would be prima facie obvious, since the method for making the product is substantially identical to the process recited in claim 1 . Regarding claim 20, CN 111620315A and CN 112919435A both disclose that the lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide can function as an electrolytic solution. (See Paragraph [n0002] of CN 112919435A and Paragraph [0004] of CN 111620315A.) Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim s 1-18 are allowed. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: CN 111620315A discloses a method for preparing lithium bis)fluorosulfonyl)imide by reacting an ammonia source, an organic solvent, a fluoride salt and sulfuryl fluoride (See claim 1 and Paragraphs [0019] through [0027] of the English translation.) . CN 111620315A discloses in Paragraph [0028] that the organic base can be triethylamine, including the steps of subjecting the reaction solution to high-vacuum distillation, desolventization of the filtrate, and crystallization by addition of a non-solvent. (See Paragraph [0048] of the English translation.) Morinaka et al (US 2012/0020867) discloses a method for preparing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide by reacting sulfuryl fluoride and ammonia in the presence of an organic solvent, wherein the organic solvent can be triethylamine. (See the Abstract and Paragraph [0068].) Morinaka et al further disclose in Paragraphs [0085] and [0086] that the reaction mixture can be alkalized by addition of lithium hydroxide. It would be obvious from Morinaka et al to modify the process of CN 111620315A by alkalinizing the reaction mixture. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to do so, since the processes of Morinaka et al and CN 111620315A are analogous in that both entail the reaction among ammonia, sulfuryl fluoride and triethylamine. However there is no teaching, disclosure or suggestion in either Morinaka et al or CN111620315A to include the evaporation step, extraction step with water, dehydration step with an ester solvent, desolventization step with an ester solvent, or a crystallization step by adding dichloromethane, in the process of CN 111620315A. Nor would there be any motivation from the prior art to do so. Accordingly claims 1-18 are not rejected over any combination of Morinaka et al and CN 111620315A . CN 110436424A is made of record for disclosing a method for preparing bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE A LANGEL whose telephone number is (571) 272-1353. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Zimmer can be reached at 571-270-3591. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /WAYNE A LANGEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1736 Application/Control Number: 18/231,255 Page 2 Art Unit: 1736 Application/Control Number: 18/231,255 Page 3 Art Unit: 1736 Application/Control Number: 18/231,255 Page 4 Art Unit: 1736 Application/Control Number: 18/231,255 Page 5 Art Unit: 1736
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 08, 2023
Application Filed
Apr 02, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+23.3%)
2y 4m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1623 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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