Prussian White/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite as Cathode Material to Enhance the Electrochemical Performance of Sodium-Ion Battery

Prussian white (PW) is considered a promising cathode material for sodium-ion batteries. However, challenges, such as lattice defects and poor conductivity limit its application. Herein, the composite materials of manganese-iron based Prussian white and reduced graphene oxide (PW/rGO) were synthesized via a one-step in situ synthesis method with sodium citrate, which was employed both as a chelating agent to control the reaction rate during the coprecipitation process of PW synthesis and as a reducing agent for GO. The low precipitation speed helps minimize lattice defects, while rGO enhances electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the one-step in situ synthesis method is simpler and more efficient than the traditional synthesis method. Compared with pure PW, the PW/rGO composites exhibit significantly improved electrochemical properties. Cycling performance tests indicated that the PW/rGO-10 sample exhibited the highest initial discharge capacity and the best cyclic stability. The PW/rGO-10 has an initial discharge capacity of 128 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 C (1 C = 170 mA g^-1), and retains 49.53% capacity retention after 100 cycles, while the PW only delivers 112 mAh g^-1 with a capacity retention of 17.79% after 100 cycles. Moreover, PW/rGO-10 also shows better rate performance and higher sodium ion diffusion coefficient (<i>D</i>_Na⁺) than the PW sample. Therefore, the incorporation of rGO not only enhances the electrical conductivity but also promotes the rapid diffusion of sodium ions, effectively improving the electrochemical performance of the composite as a cathode material for sodium-ion batteries.