Exploring Multi-Transition-Metal NASICON Frameworks as High-Performance Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries
Abstract
The search for sustainable, high-performance cathodes has driven a growing interest in sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)-type phosphates for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). To identify promising NASICONs containing earth-abundant transition metals (TMs) and to systematically examine the role of multiple TMs in influencing the various properties of NASICON cathodes, we employ density functional theory calculations to investigate nine NASICON compositions containing Mn, Cr, and/or Fe, and spanning unary, binary, and ternary combinations. Our calculations reveal that unary systems, in terms of their Na intercalation phase behavior, exhibit well-defined stabilization at intermediate Na contents (x in NaxTM2(PO4)3), while binary and ternary systems display more complex phase behavior, with some systems showing a shift of thermodynamic minima from x = 3 to 2. Intercalation voltages highlight the dominant role of Fe4+/Fe3+ redox activity in elevating average voltages (∼4.0 V), while Mn and Cr introduce intermediate-to-low voltage redox activity. Electronic structure data demonstrate non-systematic changes in the band gap, especially in systems containing multiple TMs. Na+ mobility results identify mixed-TM frameworks as favorable, achieving Na+ migration barriers in the 0.3-0.4 eV range. Importantly, we identify NaxMnFe0.5Cr0.5(PO4)3 to be a promising ternary composition for subsequent experimental validation, offering an optimal intersection of phase stability, voltages, thermodynamic (meta)stability, and Na+ migration barriers. Together, our study provides fundamental insights into the interplay between compositional complexity, thermodynamic stability, electronic structure, and ionic transport in NASICONs, and offers actionable design principles for utilising multi-TM NASICONs as high performance SIB cathodes.
Versions
Related
- Cascade-induced high-performance nonreciprocal quantum batteries
- HyTopo A High-Performance Hierarchical Algorithm for Mapping the Structural Evolution and Transition Networks of Gas Hydrates
- Site-Selective Yttrium Substitution in Ti3AlC2 Enables Interlayer Engineering and Li Transport in Ti3C2Tx cathodes for High-Power Energy Storage
- Where Does the Anion-Redox Hole Go? Reliability of Open-Shell Projection-Based Embedding for Li-Rich Cathodes, from DFT Environments to Quantum Solvers
- Towards a unified view of growth and remodeling models of soft tissues: a comparative review of theoretical frameworks
BibTeX
@misc{behara2026exploring,
title = {{Exploring Multi-Transition-Metal NASICON Frameworks as High-Performance Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries}},
author = {Santosh Behara and Achinthya Krishna Bheemaguli and Gopalakrishnan Sai Gautam},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2605.25219},
eprint = {2605.25219},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25219},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Exploring Multi-Transition-Metal NASICON Frameworks as High-Performance Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries
AU - Santosh Behara
AU - Achinthya Krishna Bheemaguli
AU - Gopalakrishnan Sai Gautam
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/24
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2605.25219
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25219
AB - The search for sustainable, high-performance cathodes has driven a growing interest in sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)-type phosphates for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). To identify promising NASICONs containing earth-abundant transition metals (TMs) and to systematically examine the role of multiple TMs in influencing the various properties of NASICON cathodes, we employ density functional theory calculations to investigate nine NASICON compositions containing Mn, Cr, and/or Fe, and spanning unary, binary, and ternary combinations. Our calculations reveal that unary systems, in terms of their Na intercalation phase behavior, exhibit well-defined stabilization at intermediate Na contents (x in Na_xTM_2(PO_4)_3), while binary and ternary systems display more complex phase behavior, with some systems showing a shift of thermodynamic minima from x = 3 to 2. Intercalation voltages highlight the dominant role of Fe^4+/Fe^3+ redox activity in elevating average voltages (∼4.0 V), while Mn and Cr introduce intermediate-to-low voltage redox activity. Electronic structure data demonstrate non-systematic changes in the band gap, especially in systems containing multiple TMs. Na^+ mobility results identify mixed-TM frameworks as favorable, achieving Na^+ migration barriers in the 0.3-0.4 eV range. Importantly, we identify Na_xMnFe_0.5Cr_0.5(PO_4)_3 to be a promising ternary composition for subsequent experimental validation, offering an optimal intersection of phase stability, voltages, thermodynamic (meta)stability, and Na^+ migration barriers. Together, our study provides fundamental insights into the interplay between compositional complexity, thermodynamic stability, electronic structure, and ionic transport in NASICONs, and offers actionable design principles for utilising multi-TM NASICONs as high performance SIB cathodes.
ER -