Cathode nanoarchitectonics with Na3VFe0.5Ti0.5(PO4)3: Overcoming the energy barriers of multielectron reactions for sodium‐ion batteries
Vaiyapuri Soundharrajan,
Sungjin Kim,
Subramanian Nithiananth,
Muhammad H. Alfaruqi,
JunJi Piao,
Duong Tung Pham,
Vinod Mathew,
Sang A. Han,
Jung Ho Kim,
Jaekook Kim
Affiliations
Vaiyapuri Soundharrajan
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Chonnam National University Bukgu Gwangju Republic of Korea
Sungjin Kim
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Chonnam National University Bukgu Gwangju Republic of Korea
Subramanian Nithiananth
Graduate School of Science and Technology Shizuoka University Hamamatsu Shizuoka Japan
Muhammad H. Alfaruqi
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Chonnam National University Bukgu Gwangju Republic of Korea
JunJi Piao
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Chonnam National University Bukgu Gwangju Republic of Korea
Duong Tung Pham
School of Engineering Physics Hanoi University of Science and Technology Hanoi Vietnam
Vinod Mathew
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Chonnam National University Bukgu Gwangju Republic of Korea
Sang A. Han
Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), Australian Institute of Innovative Materials (AIIM) University of Wollongong North Wollongong New South Wales Australia
Jung Ho Kim
Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), Australian Institute of Innovative Materials (AIIM) University of Wollongong North Wollongong New South Wales Australia
Jaekook Kim
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Chonnam National University Bukgu Gwangju Republic of Korea
Abstract High electrochemical stability and safety make Na+ superionic conductor (NASICON)‐class cathodes highly desirable for Na‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, their practical capacity is limited, leading to low specific energy. Furthermore, the low electrical conductivity combined with a decline in capacity upon prolonged cycling (>1000 cycles) related to the loss of active material‐carbon conducting contact regions contributes to moderate rate performance and cycling stability. The need for high specific energy cathodes that meet practical electrochemical requirements has prompted a search for new materials. Herein, we introduce a new carbon‐coated Na3VFe0.5Ti0.5(PO4)3 (NVFTP/C) material as a promising candidate in the NASICON family of cathodes for SIBs. With a high specific energy of ∼457 Wh kg−1 and a high Na+ insertion voltage of 3.0 V versus Na+/Na, this cathode can undergo a reversible single‐phase solid‐solution and two‐phase (de)sodiation evolution at 28 C (1 C = 174.7 mAh g−1) for up to 10,000 cycles. This study highlights the potential of utilizing low‐cost and highly efficient cathodes made from Earth‐abundant and harmless materials (Fe and Ti) with enriched Na+‐storage properties in practical SIBs.
