ADVANCED CATHODE MATERIAL FOR SODIUM-ION BATTERIES

Abstract

The need for energy storage devices is in big demand nowadays as almost everything runs on electricity. As lithium-ion batteries are becoming scarce each day, a reliable alternative is needed. Prussian blueanalogues can be an ideal choice because of their low cost, abundance, facile synthesis and tunable electrochemical properties. However, with the problems of high content of water and vacancies inside, it is still not possible to show its theoretical capabilities to the fullest. The reason is that these vacancies and interstitial water will react with electrolyte during charge/discharge which hinders its potential. Thus, getting rid of the above-mentioned issues is a top priority. Here, I report a novel synthesis technique of PBA namely Ni-doped Mn-based PBA. The presence of Nickel in the material provides better stability and enhances its electrochemical performance in terms of cycle life and rate capability. The material’s crystallinity was proved by X-ray diffraction technique, whereas NiMnPBA’s low water content was confirmed by the means of thermogravimetric analysis. To highlight the effect of Nickel dopping, Mn Based PBA was synthesized resulting NiMnPBA which exhibited the exceptional specific capacity about 146 mAh/g in the voltage range of 2V-4.2V vs Na/Na+ which is far better than bare MnPBA. Although the cyclability of both of them was not prominent, varying between 50-60% for 50 cycles. Further studies are required to resolve this issue specifically.