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 .
Status of Claims and Other Notes
Claims 1–3, 5–11, 13–17, and 19–23 are pending.
Claims 4, 12, and 18 are canceled.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The paragraph numbers cited in this Office Action in reference to the instant application are referring to the paragraph numbering of the PG-Pub of the instant application. See US 2024/0347770 A1.
Specification
Applicants' amendments have overcome the objections to the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1, 2, 5–11, 13–17, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al. (US 2016/0233513 A1, hereinafter Abe) in view of Goodman et al. (Effect of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Salts on Suppression of Lithium Dendrites, hereinafter Goodman).
Regarding claims 1, 2, and 9, Abe discloses an electrolyte composition for batteries (TABLE 3, [0186]), the electrolyte composition comprising:
a solvent blend comprising cyclic carbonate and linear carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
a lithium-based salt (TABLE 3, [0186]);
fluoroethylene carbo3nate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
vinylene carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
wherein the lithium-based salt is chosen from lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium bis (fluorosulfonyl) imide, lithium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or combinations thereof and is present in the solvent blend at a concentration of from 0.5 M to 1.5 M (TABLE 3, [0186]),
wherein fluoroethylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in the amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]), and
wherein vinylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in the amount of from 0.5 wt% to 1.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Abe does not explicitly disclose:
a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide,
wherein the metal is chosen from magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is present in an amount of from 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition.
Goodman discloses an electrolyte composition comprising a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25), wherein the metal is chosen from magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is present in an amount of from 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE II, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25) to improve the safety of the battery by suppressing the formation of lithium dendrites (TABLE II, PD424/C1/L52–C2/L3). Abe and Goodman are analogous because they are directed to lithium batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the electrolyte composition with the metal-based salt additive in order to improve the safety of the battery by suppressing the formation of lithium dendrites.
Goodman discloses the metal-based salt additive is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of 0.5M, which corresponds to metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of 1.6 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition.
Regarding claim 5, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein the lithium-based salt is present in the solvent blend at a concentration of from 0.5 molarity (M) to 1.5 M (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claim 6, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein a ratio of cyclic carbonate to linear carbonate in the solvent blend is from 1:9 to 9:1 (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claim 7, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein fluoroethylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claim 8, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein vinylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 0.5 wt% to 1.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claims 10 and 11, Abe discloses a battery comprising a silicon-containing anode (see negative electrode, [0180]); a nickel-based cathode (see positive electrode, [0179]); and an electrolyte composition disposed between the anode and the nickel-based cathode (see coin-type batteries, [0180]), the electrolyte composition comprising:
a solvent blend comprising cyclic carbonate and linear carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
a lithium-based salt (TABLE 3, [0186]);
fluoroethylene carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
vinylene carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Abe does not explicitly disclose:
a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide,
wherein the metal is chosen from magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is present in an amount of from 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof.
Goodman discloses an electrolyte composition comprising a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25), wherein the metal is chosen from magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is present in an amount of from 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE II, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25) to improve the safety of the battery by suppressing the formation of lithium dendrites (TABLE II, PD424/C1/L52–C2/L3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the electrolyte composition with the metal-based salt additive in order to improve the safety of the battery by suppressing the formation of lithium dendrites.
Goodman discloses the metal-based salt additive is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of 0.5M, which corresponds to metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of 1.6 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition.
Regarding claim 13, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein the lithium-based salt is chosen from lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium bis (fluorosulfonyl) imide, lithium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or combinations thereof and is present in the solvent blend at a concentration of from 0.5 M to 1.5 M (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claim 14, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein a ratio of cyclic carbonate to linear carbonate in the solvent blend is from 1:9 to 9:1 (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claim 15, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrolyte composition:
wherein fluoroethylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]), and
wherein vinylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in the amount of from 0.5 wt% to 1.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Abe discloses fluoroethylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in the amount of 3 vol%, based on the volume of solvent, which corresponds to an amount of 1.6 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition
Regarding claims 16 and 17, Chen discloses a device comprising an output component (see device, [0194]) and a battery configured for providing electrical energy to the output component, the battery comprising a silicon-containing anode (see negative electrode, [0180]); a nickel-based cathode (see positive electrode, [0179]); and an electrolyte composition disposed between the anode and the nickel-based cathode (see coin-type batteries, [0180]), the electrolyte composition comprising:
a solvent blend comprising cyclic carbonate and linear carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
a lithium-based salt (TABLE 3, [0186]);
fluoroethylene carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]);
vinylene carbonate (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Abe does not explicitly disclose:
a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide,
wherein the metal is chosen from magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is present in an amount of from 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition;
wherein the metal-based salt additive is magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide);
wherein the metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof.
Goodman discloses an electrolyte composition comprising a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25), wherein the metal is chosen from magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is present in an amount of from 1.0 wt% to 3.0 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE II, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25); wherein the metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (see Mg-TFSI2, PD419/C1/L7–25) to improve the safety of the battery by suppressing the formation of lithium dendrites (TABLE II, PD424/C1/L52–C2/L3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the electrolyte composition with the metal-based salt additive in order to improve the safety of the battery by suppressing the formation of lithium dendrites.
Goodman discloses the metal-based salt additive is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of 0.5M, which corresponds to metal-based salt additive is chosen from magnesium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, manganese bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or a combination thereof and is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of 1.6 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition.
Regarding claim 19, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a device:
wherein the lithium-based salt is chosen from lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium bis (fluorosulfonyl) imide, lithium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide, or combinations thereof and is present in the solvent blend at a concentration of from 0.5 M to 1.5 M (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Regarding claim 20, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a device:
wherein a ratio of cyclic carbonate to linear carbonate in the solvent blend is from 1:9 to 9:1 (TABLE 3, [0186]),
wherein fluoroethylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of from 1.5 wt% to 2.5 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]), and
wherein vinylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in the amount of from 0.5 wt% to 1.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the electrolyte composition (TABLE 3, [0186]).
Abe discloses fluoroethylene carbonate is present in the electrolyte composition in the amount of 3 vol%, based on the volume of solvent, which corresponds to an amount of 1.6 wt%, based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe (US 2016/0233513 A1) in view of Goodman (Effect of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Salts on Suppression of Lithium Dendrites) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Takahashi (JP 2021-163706 A).
Regarding claim 3, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose an electrolyte composition:
wherein the metal-based salt additive comprises manganese bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide.
Takahashi discloses an electrolyte composition including metal-based salt additive of manganese bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (see polyvalent metal imide salt, [0071]) to suppress the occurrence of a micro short circuit due to the repetition of charge and discharge (see polyvalent metal cation, 0013). Abe and Takahashi are analogous because they are directed to lithium batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the electrolyte composition of modified Abe with the manganese bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide of Takahashi in order to suppress the occurrence of a micro short circuit due to the repetition of charge and discharge.
Claims 21–23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe (US 2016/0233513 A1) in view of Goodman (Effect of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Salts on Suppression of Lithium Dendrites) as applied to claims 1, 10, and 16 above, and further in view of Uppuluri et al. (Electrochemical Formation of Li-M-(Mʹ)-Si Phases Using Multivalent Electrolyte Salt Additives, hereinafter Uppuluri).
Regarding claims 21–23, modified Abe discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose an electrolyte composition:
wherein the metal is chosen from iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof.
Uppuluri discloses an electrolyte composition including a metal-based salt additive consisting of counterions of a metal and trifluoromethanesulfonimide, wherein the metal is chosen from iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or combinations thereof (TABLE I, P2C2/L15–35) to improve calendar life of the battery (P8/C2/L7–12). Abe and Uppuluri are analogous because they are directed to lithium batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the metal modified Abe with the iron (Fe) or nickel (Ni) of Uppuluri in order to improve calendar life of the battery.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1–3, 5–11, 13–17, and 19–23 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sean P Cullen, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571)270-1251. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 6:00 am to 4:00 pm CT, Friday 6:00 am to 12:00 pm CT.
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/Sean P Cullen, Ph.D./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725