Suppressing the interlayer-gliding of layered P3-type K0.5Mn0.7Co0.2Fe0.1O2 cathode materials on electrochemical potassium-ion storage

In recent years, potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) have emerged as a promising alternative candidate to replace lithium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage devices owing to the natural abundance of potassium and similar mechanism as lithium-ion batteries. In particular, transition metal oxide cathode materials have attracted growing attention due to their high theoretical capacities and low cost compared with other cathode materials. Nevertheless, due to the larger ionic radius of K-ions, transition metal oxide cathode materials suffer from irreversible structural evolution and interlayer-gliding of transition metal layers in potassiation/depotassiation, which results in sluggish kinetics and structural instability. This limited capacity and unsatisfactory cycling properties inhibit the practical application of potassium-ion batteries. It still remains a challenge to develop the suitable cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries. In this work, the interlayer-gliding and irreversible P3–O3 structure transition were suppressed via the replacement of cobalt and iron, and the doping mechanism was investigated by in situ x-ray diffraction. The incorporation of Co ions and Fe ions enlarges the d-space between the transition metal layers, reduces the resistance of K+ migration, and provides the buffer spaces to suppress the interlayer-gliding and P3–O3 phase transformation in electrochemical potassium-ion storage, leading to an enhanced rate capability (58 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1) and superior cycling stability (71% after 300 cycles at 200 mA g−1). This strategy provides a better understanding for the effect of Co–Fe substitution in suppressing interlayer-gliding and improving electrochemical properties for the development of a novel cathode material for potassium-ion batteries.