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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it is written in multiple paragraphs and not in a narrative form. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suyama (US 20190386346 A1) in view of Yadav et al (US 2023001554).
Regarding Claim 1,
Suyama teaches an aqueous secondary battery (aqueous potassium-ion battery 1000; Paragraph [0047]), comprising: a positive electrode active material layer (cathode active material layer 20; Paragraph [0053]), an aqueous electrolyte (aqueous electrolyte solution; Paragraph [0027]), and a negative electrode active material layer (anode active material layer 40; Paragraph [0068]), wherein the aqueous electrolyte contains an aqueous solvent and potassium polyphosphate which has two or more elemental phosphorus, and any one of potassium ion, proton, hydroxide ion, and polyphosphoric anion is a carrier ion (potassium pyrophosphate; Paragraph [0007]). Suyama further teaches the potassium pyrophosphate in the aqueous electrolyte may come from different ion sources, including KOH and H4P2O7 (Paragraph [0009]), providing ions which may then interact with the cathode active material. However, Suyama is silent on a direct teaching of ions incorporated into the space interposed between layers of Mn-O octahedrons, as well as on the monoclinic crystal structure of the MnO2 cathode active material.
Yadav teaches possible MnO2-based cathode materials including birnessite and δ-MnO2, which is a layered octahedron structure allowing for interaction of ions within its layers (Paragraphs [0032-0033]). Yadav further teaches inclusion of additional components which may be present in the cathode material, including manganese oxyhydroxide (MnOOH) and sodium-rich birnessite (Paragraph [0033]). These components meet the composition formula MnO2⋅AxBy(H2O)z where A is an alkali metal (Na), B is an anion (OH-) and x, y, and z are between 0 and 1. Birnessite-type manganese dioxide is synonymous with the space group C2/m, as mentioned in Paragraph [0021] of the specification of the instant application. Yadav discusses MnO2 as a cheap, abundant material, therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use MnO2 when choosing a cathode active material and to include components to help stabilize and optimize the structure.
Regarding Claims 2 and 3,
Suyama, in view of Yadav, teaches the aqueous secondary battery according to claim 1, but does not teach the presence of sodium or chlorine as part of the cathode active material. However, Yadav further teaches the cathode material may contain sodium in the form of sodium-rich birnessite (Paragraph [0033]). Additionally, chloride ions may be present in the cathode material with the addition of a bismuth chloride and/or a copper chloride (Paragraphs [0039-0040]). The sodium-rich birnessite provides a layered crystal structure as described above and allows for the intercalation of additional components. Intercalation of a bismuth chloride or copper chloride into the birnessite structure may improve cycling and long-term performance of the battery (Paragraph [0038]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the aqueous secondary battery taught by Suyama to include sodium-rich birnessite along with bismuth chloride or copper chloride in order to improve performance of the battery.
Regarding Claims 4-6,
Suyama, in view of Yadav, teaches the aqueous secondary battery according to Claim 1. Suyama further teaches the presence of potassium pyrophosphate at a concentration of no less than 2 mol/kg as the potassium salt in the aqueous electrolyte (Paragraph [0027]). Additionally, Suyama teaches a pH range of the aqueous electrolyte between 3 and 13 (Paragraph [0045]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN M KNOWLAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0913. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00am - 4:30pm.
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/KEVIN M KNOWLAN/Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/TRAVIS M FIGG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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