A research team led by CIC energiGUNE, in collaboration with the ALBA Synchrotron, has shown through multi-scale X-ray analysis that partially replacing manganese (Mn) with iron (Fe) in Prussian white —a low-cost green battery material— prevents structural degradation and paves the way for sustainable and long-lasting batteries.
Building cheaper, greener batteries is only half the challenge; making them last through hundreds of charge–discharge cycles is equally critical. A team of researchers from Spain and France, led by CIC energiGUNE, has tackled this problem in sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries by improving Prussian white, an easy-to-synthesize, environmentally friendly material. Using the ALBA Synchrotron, they have discovered how a simple chemical modification can dramatically extend battery lifespan.
For Na-ion batteries to compete with lithium-ion technology —the current prevailing technology— highly cost efficient and more sustainable cathode materials are needed. Prussian white materials containing manganese (Mn) are particularly promising because their performance rivals that of lithium batteries. Their Achilles’ heel, however, is poor long-term durability. During charging, Mn undergoes oxidation, which triggers a local structural distortion. This distortion causes large volume changes, leading to severe structural degradation and rapid capacity loss.
The research team hypothesized that partially replacing Mn with iron (Fe) could stabilize the material over time. The results were striking: the modified material retained 93% of its original charge capacity after 50 cycles, compared to just 62% for the unaltered version. But the real breakthrough was understanding why.
Read more on the ALBA website