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 1-20 remain in the application for prosecution thereof.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Zhang et al. “Performance Leap of Lithium Metal Batteries in LIPF6 carbonate electrolyte by a phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) acid scavenger”.
Zhang et al. “Performance Leap of Lithium Metal Batteries in LIPF6 carbonate electrolyte by a phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) acid scavenger” teaches a battery including a lithium anode metal, a cathode (NMC) and an electrolyte including LiPF6 and P2O5 (abstract and introduction).
Regarding claim 2, a lithium film of 50 microns is utilized (electrode preparation – pg. 36680).
Regarding claim 3, the cathode includes NMC622 (electrode preparation – pg. 36680).
Regarding claim 4, the electrolyte includes LiPF6 (abstract and introduction).
Regarding claims 5,19 and 20, 5 wt% of P2O5 is utilized with the LiPF6 electrolyte (pg. 36680 – lines 17-21).
Regarding claim 8, a lithium metal SEI is formed as a passivation layer due to the inclusion of P2O5 (pp. 36682).
Regarding claims 11 and 16, the inclusion of P2O5 scavenges HF and therefore this is not a degradation product and HF is not a parasitic reaction (pp. 36680).
Regarding claims 6,7,9,10,12-15,17 and 18, the claims recite characteristics of the battery from the inclusion of P2O5 in the LiPF6 electrolyte and hence these would be inherently obtained since Zhang et al. “Performance Leap of Lithium Metal Batteries in LIPF6 carbonate electrolyte by a phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) acid scavenger” teaches the same.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN K TALBOT whose telephone number is (571)272-1428. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 7-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MICHAEL CLEVELAND can be reached at 571-272-1418. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN K TALBOT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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