Reversible structural evolution of sodium-rich rhombohedral Prussian blue for sodium-ion batteries

Authors

Wanlin Wang, University of WollongongFollow
Yong Gang
Zhe Hu, University of Wollongong
Zichao Yan, University of WollongongFollow
Weijie Li, University of WollongongFollow
Yongcheng Li
Qinfen Gu
Zhixing Wang
Shulei Chou, University of WollongongFollow
Hua-Kun Liu, University of WollongongFollow
Shi Xue Dou, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

141890

Publication Details

Wang, W., Gang, Y., Hu, Z., Yan, Z., Li, W., Li, Y., Gu, Q., Wang, Z., Chou, S., Liu, H. & Dou, S. (2020). Reversible structural evolution of sodium-rich rhombohedral Prussian blue for sodium-ion batteries. Nature Communications, 11 (1),

Abstract

2020, The Author(s). Iron-based Prussian blue analogs are promising low-cost and easily prepared cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries. Their materials quality and electrochemical performance are heavily reliant on the precipitation process. Here we report a controllable precipitation method to synthesize high-performance Prussian blue for sodium-ion storage. Characterization of the nucleation and evolution processes of the highly crystalline Prussian blue microcubes reveals a rhombohedral structure that exhibits high initial Coulombic efficiency, excellent rate performance, and cycling properties. The phase transitions in the as-obtained material are investigated by synchrotron in situ powder X-ray diffraction, which shows highly reversible structural transformations between rhombohedral, cubic, and tetragonal structures upon sodium-ion (de)intercalations. Moreover, the Prussian blue material from a large-scale synthesis process shows stable cycling performance in a pouch full cell over 1000 times. We believe that this work could pave the way for the real application of Prussian blue materials in sodium-ion batteries.