A Ni-doping-induced phase transition and electron evolution in cobalt hexacyanoferrate as a stable cathode for sodium-ion batteries

Prussian blue analogues are potential competitive energy storage materials due to their diverse metal combinations and wide three-dimensional ion channels. Here, we prepared a new highly crystalline monoclinic nickel-doped cobalt hexacyanoferrate via a feasible and simple one-step co-precipitation method. In the process of sodium-ion de-intercalation, three stable charge and discharge platforms, which are consistent with the cyclic voltammetry performance, are seen for the first time, showing the function of nickel ions in Prussian blue. Furthermore, the charge transfer and structural evolution caused by the transmission of sodium ions were well revealed via ex situ XRD, ex situ XPS, and in situ EIS studies. Simulation calculations are performed relating to the energy band structure and the highest-occupied bonding orbitals of the system in different charge states, revealing the charge and discharge mechanism of the nickel-doped material and the reason for the emergence of the new platform at low voltages. In addition, NaNi0.17Co0.83Fe(CN)6 also delivers a striking capacity of 146 mA h g−1 and superior cyclability, with 93% capacity retention over 100 cycles; it can be considered as a promising alternative cathode material for use in sodium-ion batteries.