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Scalable m echanochemical s ynthesis of h...
Journal article

Scalable m echanochemical s ynthesis of h igh-quality Prussian b lue a nalogues for h igh-energy and d urable p otassium-ion b atteries

Abstract

An ultrafast and scalable mechanochemical strategy is proposed for synthesizing high-quality K 2 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ]. We assembled a high-capacity pouch cell and realized kilogram-level production, demonstrating a critical step toward application of PIBs. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are recognized as promising cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), particularly the low-cost and high-energy K 2 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ](KMnF). However, conventional solution-based synthesis inevitably introduces [Fe(CN) 6 ] 4− defects and lattice water while suffering low synthesis efficiency, unfavorable to the improvement of electrochemical performance and scalability. In this work, we report a simple solvent-free mechanochemical strategy for the synthesis of a wide variety of K 2 M[Fe(CN) 6 ] (M = Mn, Mg, Ca, etc. ) with negligible defects and water, and it is unprecedented to achieve kilogram-level products of high-quality KMnF within just 10 minutes. The as-prepared KMnF delivers a high energy density of 590 Wh kg −1 at 0.2 C and exhibits an astonishing stability over 10 000 cycles and rate ability up to 50 C in a potassium metal half-cell. Encouragingly, a high-areal-capacity pouch cell with 2.2 mAh cm −2 (16.5 mg cm −2 ) exhibits a capacity retention of 80.7% after 500 cycles. Furthermore, systematic in situ characterization reveals underlying mechanism insights into structure–performance relationships. Specifically, the fully coordinated Mn–N 6 octahedral configuration effectively suppresses Mn 3+ Jahn–Teller distortion, enabling reversible phase transitions under both high-voltage and long-term cycling conditions. In addition, minimal defects provide sufficient redox centers, while the continuous three-dimensional framework facilitates rapid K + diffusion kinetics. This work provides a new opportunity for the ultrafast, universal and scalable synthesis of high-quality PBAs, facilitating the practical application of PIBs while enabling precise structural and compositional design of novel PBAs.

Authors

Wang X; Gao C; Zhang S; Li J; Wang J; Lin S; Lee S; Kang F; Zhai D

Journal

Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 18, No. 16, pp. 7869–7881

Publisher

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Publication Date

August 12, 2025

DOI

10.1039/d5ee01702e

ISSN

1754-5692

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