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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I claims 1-7 and 14-19 in the reply filed on 11/10/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected claims, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/10/2025.
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) 1-7 and 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ghidiu et al. (US 2017/0294546) in view of Chang et al. (KR 2011-0063335).
Regarding claims 1, 3-5, 14, 16-19 Ghidiu discloses conductive Mn+1Xn(Ts) compositions exhibiting high volumetric capacitances, and methods of making the same. The present invention(s) is also directed to novel conductive Mn+1Xn(Ts) compositions, methods of preparing transparent conductors using these materials, and products derived from these methods (Abstract). Ghidiu discloses novel physical forms of conductive two-dimensional M.sub.n+1X.sub.n(T.sub.s) MXene compositions, and methods of making the same (para 0003). The disclosed mXene materials (e.g. Ti3C2 capped with oxide, hydroxide, F) (para 0089-0093) meet each of the instant “one layer or one layer and plural layers (MmXn) limitations, and Ghidiu specifies flake sizes of 0.1-10 microns (para 0062) and layer thickness in the single nm range (Fig 11). The reference additionally teaches the addition of metal ions such as Li, Na or K (0017; 0051; 0095; 0213), and the paste/composite utility (0055; 0110). Ghidiu discloses MXene coatings may be applied to flexible substrates as well, including organic polymer materials. Exemplary organic polymers include those comprising polyetherimide, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, polyamide (para 0082).
However, Ghidiu discloses the presence of lithium, but fails to disclose that the Li content is 0.0001 mass% to 0.0020 mass%.
Whereas, Chang positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery is provided to improve low temperature (5 °C) lifetime property by doping, to ensure high maximum heat generation temperature due to improved thermal stability, and to reduce the heat generation amount (abstract). positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery comprises: a compound capable of reversible intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium; and a composite coating layer including boron(B) and M1 formed on the surface of the compound. The M1 is metal selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti, Mg, V, Zn, Mo, Ni, Co and Mn (abstract). The doping molar ratio of the M1 (the sum of the moles of all metals in the compound capable of reversible intercalation and deintercalation of the number of moles of M1 / lithium) may be 0.0001 to 0.001. There is no effect at the doping molar ratio of less than 0.0001, and at the doping molar ratio of more than 0.001, there is an excessive decrease in initial capacity and a decrease in efficiency characteristics (page 4, para 1). Based on the calculation and converting the molar ratio of lithium in to weight percent, lithium dopant is present in an amount of 0.001-0.015 wt% which overlaps the claimed range.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include lithium ion of Ghidiu in an amount of 0.001-0.015 wt% as taught by Chang motivated by the desire to have increased initial capacity and efficiency characteristics of the battery.
Regarding claims 2, 15 As Ghidiu in view of Chang discloses conductive two-dimensional particle including layer made of MmXn as presently claimed in claimed size and amount, therefore peak of a plane of the conductive particle obtained by X-ray diffraction measurement would intrinsically be 8 degree of more.
Regarding claims 6, 7 Ghidiu discloses conductive Mn+1Xn(Ts) compositions exhibiting high volumetric capacitances, and methods of making the same. The present invention(s) is also directed to novel conductive Mn+1Xn(Ts) compositions, methods of preparing transparent conductors using these materials, and products derived from these methods (Abstract). Ghidiu discloses novel physical forms of conductive two-dimensional M.sub.n+1X.sub.n(T.sub.s) MXene compositions, and methods of making the same (para 0003). The disclosed mXene materials (e.g. Ti3C2 capped with oxide, hydroxide, F) (para 0089-0093) meet each of the instant “one layer or one layer and plural layers (MmXn) limitations, and Ghidiu specifies flake sizes of 0.1-10 microns (para 0062) and layer thickness in the single nm range (Fig 11). The reference additionally teaches the addition of metal ions such as Li, Na or K (0017; 0051; 0095; 0213), and the paste/composite utility (0055; 0110). Ghidiu discloses Certain of these films are optically transparent owing to their composition and thicknesses. In some embodiments, the MXene nanoplatelets, dispersed in a solvent, are cast on to an arbirtary substrate, for example by spin coating or dip coating, and the solvent evaporated leaving a thin film composed of MXene flakes that are Angstroms or nanometer thick. The films are highly conductive, exhibiting an intrinsic conductivity of at least 1000 S/cm (para 0018). Ghidiu discloses coated MXene films, whether prepared by spincoating or otherwise, can exhibit surface conductivities in a range of from about 100 to 500 S/cm, from from 2000 to 3000 S/cm, from 3000 to 4000 S/cm, from 4000 to 5000 S/cm, from 5000 to 6000 S/cm, from 6000 to 7000 S/cm, from 7000 to 8000 S/cm, or any combination of two or more of these ranges.
However, Ghidiu discloses the presence of lithium, but fails to disclose that the Li content is 0.0001 mass% to 0.0020 mass%.
Whereas, Chang positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery is provided to improve low temperature (5 °C) lifetime property by doping, to ensure high maximum heat generation temperature due to improved thermal stability, and to reduce the heat generation amount (abstract). positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery comprises: a compound capable of reversible intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium; and a composite coating layer including boron(B) and M1 formed on the surface of the compound. The M1 is metal selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti, Mg, V, Zn, Mo, Ni, Co and Mn (abstract). The doping molar ratio of the M1 (the sum of the moles of all metals in the compound capable of reversible intercalation and deintercalation of the number of moles of M1 / lithium) may be 0.0001 to 0.001. There is no effect at the doping molar ratio of less than 0.0001, and at the doping molar ratio of more than 0.001, there is an excessive decrease in initial capacity and a decrease in efficiency characteristics (page 4, para 1). Based on the calculation and converting the molar ratio of lithium in to weight percent, lithium dopant is present in an amount of 0.001-0.015 wt% which overlaps the claimed range.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include lithium ion of Ghidiu in an amount of 0.001-0.015 wt% as taught by Chang motivated by the desire to have increased initial capacity and efficiency characteristics of the battery.
Conclusion
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/RONAK C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788
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