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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3,14-15, 22-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Dhanabalan et al. (US11174167).
As to claim 1, Dhanabalan et al. discloses a silicon-carbon composite mixtures comprising: a) a first silicon-carbon composite material comprising: a porous carbon scaffold comprising micropores and mesopores and a total pore volume no less than 0.5 cm3/g (col. 14 line 51-55, col. 8 line 50); a silicon content from 30% to 70% (col. 28 line 6); and a plurality of particles comprising a Dv50 of 6 um to 20 um; b) a second silicon-carbon composite material comprising: a second carbon scaffold comprising micropores and mesopores and a total pore volume no less than 0.5 cm3/g (col. 14 lines 51-55, col. 8 line 50); and a silicon content from 30% to 70% (col. 28 line 6); a plurality of particles comprising a Dv50 of 1 um to 6 um (col. 12 lines 60-65); and c) 10% to 90% by mass of the first silicon-carbon composite material and 10% to 90% by mass of the second silicon-carbon composite material (1st and 2nd silicon carbon composite are the same material).
As to claim 2, Dhanabalan et al. discloses, wherein the mixture further comprises one or more additional silicon-carbon composite wherein each of the one or more additional silicon-carbon composites comprises a unique Dv50 (col. 12 lines 60-65).
As to claim 3, Dhanabalan et al. discloses, wherein the silicon-carbon composite mixture has a surface area of less than 30 m2/g (col. 13 lines 60-65).
As to claim 14, Dhanabalan et al. discloses an anode electrode, comprising a silicon-carbon composite mixture comprising: a) a first silicon-carbon composite material comprising: a porous carbon scaffold comprising micropores and mesopores; and a total pore volume no less than 0.5 cm3/g (col. 14 line 51-55, col. 8 line 50); a silicon content from 30% to 70% (col. 28 line 6); and a plurality of particles comprising a Dv50 of 6 um to 20 um (col. 12 lines 60-65) b) a second silicon-carbon composite material comprising: a second carbon scaffold comprising micropores and mesopores and a total pore volume no less than 0.5 cm3/g (col. 14 line 51-55,col. 8 lines 50); a silicon content from 30% to 70% (col. 28 line 6);and a plurality of particles comprising a Dv50 of 1 um to 6 um (col. 12 line 60-65); and c) 10% to 90% by mass of the first silicon-carbon composite material; and 10% to 90% by mass of the second silicon-carbon composite material (1st and 2nd composite material are the same).
As to claim 15, Dhanabalan et al. discloses wherein the surface area of the silicon-carbon composite mixture is less than 30 m2/g (col. 13 lines 45-46).
As to claim 22, Dhanabalan et al. discloses, wherein the silicon-carbon composite mixture comprises at least one further carbon and/or at least one binder (col. 26 line 29).
As to claim 23, Dhanbabalan et al. discloses wherein the at least one further carbon and/or the at least one binder is dissolved in an aqueous medium (col. 26 line 29).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6,8-9 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art fail to teach or suggest E greater than 0.01, wherein E is defined as 1-(tap density or conductivity for composite mixture) / (mass averaged tap density or conductivity for individual fractions); and f) for the determination of E, measurement of tap density or conductivity of the silicon-carbon composite mixture and the individual fractions comprising each mode are measured under otherwise identical conditions. The present disclosure offers the advantage that the bimodal distribution of the composite enables a higher packing density and improved electrical conductivity of an anode electrode.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claims 4-5,16-21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 1 but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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/JANE J RHEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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