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 .
Claims 1-7 and 13-19 are pending in the application.
Claims 8-12 are withdrawn in the application.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7 and 13-19 in the reply filed on 07/05/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-12 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected the process of making the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 07/05/2026.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: on page 2, line 12 in specification the “sosoloid” should be corrected to “solid”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 5 and 17 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 5 and 17 recites “mass ratio of the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups in the coating layer is 0.5-4%”, it is unclear if the mass ratio of the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups is to the total mass of the cathode active material or the total mass of the coating layer rendering the claim vague and indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-7, 13-16, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP-5890886 B, for prior art discussion refer to cited document) in view of Shi (CN113562713 A, for prior art discussion refer to cited document), and Luski (US PG Pub. 2018/0366781 A1)
Regarding claims 1 and 13 Yamashita discloses a lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material (para.0011), wherein the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material comprises a lithium iron manganese phosphate substrate and a coating layer (carbon) on a surface of the lithium iron manganese phosphate substrate (para. 0007, 0011) ;
Yamashita fails to disclose the coating layer comprises carbon quantum dots.
Shi discloses a lithium iron phosphate cathode material with carbon quantum dots loaded on its surface (n0011). Shi further discloses the carbon quantum dots expose more active sites for lithium iron phosphate, providing more space for lithium-ion storage and further enhancing its conductivity. The highly dispersed carbon quantum dots also provide electron tunnels for LiFePO4, reducing battery polarization. (para. n0005).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the cathode active material of Yamashita as taught by Shi. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use carbon quantum dots as the carbon surface coating to enhance its conductivity and reducing polarization of the battery.
Yamashita and Shin fail to disclose the coating layer containing carbon quantum dots contain amino groups.
Luski discloses an amino-functionalized carbon materials for lithium batteries (abstract) that is an acid-scavenging material comprising a nitrogen-containing acid trapping moiety selected from the group consisting of: an amine group, a pyridine group, and combinations thereof (para. 0008, 0092). Luski further discloses in Lithium-ion batteries HF is generated in contact with water and the acid produced promotes transition metal ion dissolution from the positive electrode active materials, a process especially pronounced for materials with Mn2+ cations with Manganese (para. 0084-0086). Luski further discloses dissolved TM ions migrate towards negative electrodes and poison the solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) formed thereon. The contaminated SEI then loses its passivating properties. Thereafter malignant SEI growth and consequently premature capacity loss is unavoidable. The loss of electroactive Li+ ions decrease the available energy in the cell and promotes the growth of thicker and ionically resistive surface films on electrode surfaces, which both impair the power performance of the cell and lead to an under-utilization of cell capacity due to an increased cell resistance. (para. 0086). Luski discloses that the nitrogen-containing acid trapping moiety amino group scavenges acidic species (HF) present in the electrolyte solution by participating in a Lewis acid-base neutralization reaction. (para. 0023, 0091, 0107) Luski further discloses the acid-scavenging material can be coated on the cathode (first electrode figure 4, para. 0018, 0105-0106). Luski discloses by minimizing the presence of acid and, consequently, preventing or minimizing transition metal ion deposition at the negative electrode, more ionically conductive and electronically insulating protective surface films are formed on Li-ion battery electrodes early on in the cell life, thus improving the overall power performance of Li-ion batteries. In this manner, surface films with lower resistance on the positive and negative electrodes of a Li-ion battery are provided and maintained throughout the Li-ion battery useful life, which improves the power performance as well as increases the charging and discharging rates at all temperatures (para. 0120)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the cathode active material of the combination of Yamashita and Shi as taught by Luski. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use carbon quantum dots containing amino group to improve the power performance as well as increases the charging and discharging rates at all temperatures.
Regarding the limitation that “ a mass ratio of manganese ions to carbon quantum dots containing amino group is 4.5-5.5:1”, Yamashita discloses a mass % of carbon coating to be preferably 2 – 7% and the manganese iron lithium phosphate compound represented by LiMn0.8Fe0.2PO4 (para. 0012-0013).
weight % of Manganese =
0.8
(
54.9
g
m
o
l
)
6.94
g
/
m
o
l
+
0.8
54.94
g
m
o
l
+
0.2
55.85
g
m
o
l
+
30.97
g
/
m
o
l
+
4
16
g
/
m
o
l
= 27.99%
Mn : C range when mass % of carbon coating to be preferably 2 – 7% = 13.7-3.99:1 encompassing the claimed range of 4.5-5.5:1. (MPEP 2144.05 (I))
As set forth above, a lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material of Yamashita with coating on the surface of carbon quantum dots containing amino groups as taught by the combination of Shi and Luski discloses all the limitations of the claims.
Regarding claim 2 and 14 the limitation “lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material according to claim 1,wherein the lithium iron manganese phosphate substrate is prepared by following steps: dissolving a lithium source, an iron source, a manganese source, and a phosphorus source in deionized water to obtain a mixed solution and adjusting pH of the mixed solution; then adding polyvinylpyrrolidone to obtain a lithium iron manganese phosphate precursor solution; heating the lithium iron manganese phosphate precursor solution; and drying to obtain a lithium iron manganese phosphate substrate” is a product-by-process limitation (MPEP 2113). The implied structure is simply the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material with a coating layer of carbon quantum dots containing amino groups with a mass ratio of manganese ions to carbon quantum dots containing amino group is (4.5-5.5) : 1 which modified Yamashita discloses as set forth above with respect to claim 1 and 13.
Regarding claims 3 and 15, the limitation “mass ratio of manganese to iron in the lithium iron manganese phosphate precursor solution is (5.5-6.5) : 4” is directed to a precursor solution – a starting material, not the claimed product in claim 1 and 13, so the limitation is product by process (MPEP 2113). The implied structure is simply the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material with a coating layer of carbon quantum dots containing amino groups with a mass ratio of manganese ions to carbon quantum dots containing amino group is (4.5-5.5) : 1 which modified Yamashita discloses as set forth above with respect to claim 1 and 13.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, the limitation “ wherein a heating process of the lithium iron manganese phosphate precursor solution is carried out at a heating temperature of 1600C-2000C and a heating duration of l0min-30min” , is directed to a precursor solution – a starting material, not the claimed product in claim 1 and 13, so the limitation is product by process (MPEP 2113). The implied structure is simply the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material with a coating layer of carbon quantum dots containing amino groups with a mass ratio of manganese ions to carbon quantum dots containing amino group is (4.5-5.5) : 1 which modified Yamashita discloses as set forth above with respect to claim 1 and 13.
Regarding claims 6 and 18, “the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups are prepared by following steps: mixing organic material containing amino groups with citric acid solution and preparing by hydrothermal reaction to obtain the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups”, is directed to a process of making quantum dots containing amino group not the claimed product in claim 1 and 13, so the limitation is product by process (MPEP 2113). The implied structure is simply the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material with a coating layer of carbon quantum dots containing amino groups with a mass ratio of manganese ions to carbon quantum dots containing amino group is (4.5-5.5) : 1 which modified Yamashita discloses as set forth above with respect to claim 1 and 13.
Regarding claims 7 and 19, Yamashita fails to discloses the particle size of the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups is 1.5-3.5 nm.
Shi discloses the carbon quantum dots has less than 20 nm diameter such as 1 nm, 2 nm, 5 nm, 7 nm, 10 nm, 13 nm, 15 nm, 17 nm, 19 nm, etc. (para. n0022) encompassing the claimed range of 1.5-3.5 nm (MPEP 2144.05 (I)). The combination of Shi and Luski would discloses the carbon quantum dots with amino group in the claimed range as adding an amino group would add an additional approximately 147 pm (C-N bond length).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use carbon quantum dots containing amino group as taught by combination of Yamashita, Shi and Luski as set forth above with respect to claims 1 and 13 to have a size range as taught by Shi to enhance its conductivity and reduce battery polarization of the battery as set forth above with respect to claim 1.
Claims 5 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP-5890886 B, for prior art discussion refer to cited document) in view of Shi (CN113562713 A, for prior art discussion refer to cited document), and Luski (US PG Pub. 2018/0366781 A1) as applied to claim1-4, 6, 7, 13-16, 18 and 19 above, and further in view of Pang (CN 103943854 B, for prior art discussion refer to cited machine translation).
Yamashita, Shi, and Luski are relied upon as discussed above.
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Yamashita fails to disclose the lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode material has a mass ratio of the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups in the coating layer is 0.5-4%.
Shi discloses carbon quantum dot content is 0.5% to 5%; for example, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%. Shi further discloses if the carbon quantum dot content is too high, the prepared material will experience a decrease in first-time efficiency and a reduction in capacity (para. n0013). Shi establishes carbon quantum dot mass in the coating as a result -effective variables for improving first-time efficiency and capacity of active material. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to carbon quantum dot mass in the coating of the active material in the claimed range to prevent decrease in first-time efficiency and a reduction in capacity as taught by Shi. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to have arrived at the claimed range of mass ratio of the carbon quantum dots containing amino groups in the coating layer is 0.5-4% by routine optimization to achieve a cathode active material with suitable characteristics. (MPEP 2144.05 I).
Additionally, Pang discloses a surface-modified lithium-ion battery cathode material and with a core that is mainly a lithium-ion battery cathode material, the outside is coated with Li3V2 (PO4)3, and a carbon material, (para. 0013). Pang further discloses the mass of the coating (coating modified composite material) is 1-15% of the mass of the lithium-ion battery cathode and the mass fraction of the carbon material in the coating (coating modified composite material) is 1-30% (para. 0013, 0015) overlapping the claimed range of 0.5-4 % (MPEP 2144.05 (I)). Pang further discloses such a surface-modified lithium-ion battery has strong structural stability, strong electrical conductivity, high electrochemical activity, strong corrosion resistance and prolonged cycle life. The positive electrode material also provides a method for preparing a surface-modified lithium-ion battery cathode material which is simple in process, easy to control, and can be mass-produced and applied (para. 0012).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the cathode active material of the combination of Yamashita Shi and Luski as taught by Pang. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use carbon quantum dots with containing amino group in the range taught by pang to have has strong structural stability, strong electrical conductivity, high electrochemical activity, strong corrosion resistance and prolonged cycle life.
Conclusion
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/I.M./
Iswarya MathewExaminer, Art Unit 1788 07/16/2026
/ALEXANDRE F FERRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788
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