Electrical Conductivity and Electrochemical Characteristics of Na{sub 3}V{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}-Based NASICON-Type Materials
NASICON-type materials with the compositions Na{sub 3}V{sub 2–x}Al{sub x}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, Na{sub 3}V{sub 2-} {sub x}Fe{sub x}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, Na{sub 3+} {sub x}V{sub 2–x}Ni{sub x}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, and Na{sub 3}V{sub 2-} {sub x}Cr{sub x}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1) have been prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, electron microscopy, and impedance spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the highest electrical conductivity among the samples studied is offered by the material doped with 5% Fe: Na{sub 3}V{sub 1.9}Fe{sub 0.1}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}. The activation energy for low-temperature conduction in the doped materials decreases from 84 ± 2 to 54 ± 1 kJ/mol and that for high-temperature conduction is ~33 kJ/mol. The discharge capacity of Na{sub 3}V{sub 1.9}Fe{sub 0.1}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}/C under typical working conditions of cathodes of sodium ion batteries has been shown to exceed that of Na{sub 3}V{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}/C. The capacity of the more porous material prepared by the Pechini process (Na{sub 3}V{sub 1.9}Fe{sub 0.1}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}/C-{II}) approaches the theoretical one at a low charge–discharge rate and retains its high level as the charge rate is raised (its discharge capacity was 117.6, 108.8, and 82.6 mAh/g at a discharge rate of 0.1C, 2C, and 8C, respectively).