Synthesis of copper hexacyanoferrate nanoflake as a cathode for sodium-ion batteries

Prussian blue analogues are considered as the promising cathodes for sodium-ion batteries. Since the electrochemical properties are closely related to the morphology, the monodisperse copper hexacyanoferrate nanoflakes with highly crystalline are synthesized by a glycol-assisted coprecipitation method and a tentative synthetic mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of nanostructures. The structure and electrochemical properties are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FTIR spectra and galvanostatic cycle tests, respectively. Due to the novel architecture of copper hexacyanoferrate, a high electrochemical activity is obtained, resulting a high initial coulombic efficiency of 93%, a capacity retention of 73% at 1 C after 300 cycles and 51 mAh g−1 is maintained at high rate of 15 C at 25 °C.