Revealing the Thermal Safety of Prussian Blue Cathode for Safer Nonaqueous Batteries

Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) are promising cathode materials for many next-generation metal-ion batteries due to their exceptional electrochemical performance. Their oxygen-free structure avoids a common battery thermal runaway pathway which requires O-2 liberation. Herein, the thermal runaway mechanisms of PBAs are studied from the level of material and full cell in nonaqueous sodium- and potassium-ion batteries (SIBs and KIBs). Their hidden safety issue and a novel runaway mechanism that requires no oxygen evolution are identified. The cyanide groups are released (approximate to 51.4 wt%) as toxic cyanides above 200 degrees C, which also exothermically react with the electrolyte and cause the runaway. The cyanide gas generation mechanism is proposed as cathode hydrolytic disproportionation by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy, and operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies. In addition, full-cell level calorimetric studies reveal mitigated heat generation but lower initiation temperature of runaway from such SIBs and KIBs than conventional LiCoO2-graphite system. These results change how PBA materials are evaluated from a safety standpoint, suggesting that they cannot be regarded as safe cathodes. They also indicate the correlations between thermal safety and their crystal defects or trapped water content. The proposed thermal runaway mechanism provides insights to assist in the building of safer next-generation batteries.

Automated summary

This study investigates the thermal runaway mechanisms of Prussian blue analogs in nonaqueous sodium- and potassium-ion batteries, revealing a new runaway mechanism that does not involve oxygen evolution, and identifying safety issues related to cyanide release and exothermic reactions with the electrolyte. Calorimetric studies at the full-cell level show mitigated heat generation but lower initiation temperature of runaway compared to conventional systems, suggesting that PBA materials cannot be considered as safe cathodes and highlighting the importance of crystal defects and trapped water content in thermal safety.