Two-electron redox chemistry enables potassium-free copper hexacyanoferrate as high-capacity cathode for aqueous Mg-ion battery

Abstract

Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) are potential contestants for aqueous Mg-ion batteries (AMIBs) on account of their high discharge voltage and three-dimensional open frameworks. However, the low capacity arising from single reaction site severely restricts PBAs' practical applications in high-energy-density AMIBs. Here, an organic acid co-coordination combined with etching method is reported to fabricate defect-rich potassium-free copper hexacyanoferrate with structural water on carbon nanotube fiber (D-CuHCF@CNTF). Benefiting from the high-valence-state reactive sites, arrayed structure and defect effect, the well-designed D-CuHCF@CNTF exhibits an extraordinary reversible capacity of 146.6 mAh g⁻¹ with two-electron reaction, nearly close to its theoretical capacity. It is interesting to unlock the reaction mechanism of the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ and Cu⁺/Cu²⁺ redox couples via x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations reveal that Fe and Cu in potassium-free D-CuHCF participate in charge transfer during the Mg²⁺ insertion/extraction process. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a rocking-chair fiber-shaped AMIBs was constructed via coupling with the NaTi₂(PO₄)₃/CNTF anode, achieving high energy density and impressive mechanical flexibility. This work provides new possibilities to develop potassium-free PBAs with dual-active sites as high-capacity cathodes for wearable AMIBs.