Sodium extraction from sodium iron phosphate with a Maricite structure

•NaFePO4 samples were prepared by hydrothermal and solid-state synthesis.•All the materials showed a Maricite-type structure.•The electrochemical properties of the materials were tested in Li and Na cells.•The specific capacity and energy as a function of discharge rate was evaluated.•The material could be used as a cathode in low-power low-cost sodium battery.

Three materials based on sodium iron phosphate with a Maricite structure were synthesized by hydrothermal method and solid-state synthesis. The materials have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and surface analysis. The materials were used for the fabrication of electrodes and their electrochemical performance were evaluated in lithium batteries. The material with the highest reversible capacity was then characterized in sodium batteries. Both the capacity exhibited at low discharge rate as well as the capacity as a function of the discharge rate and cycle number were evaluated. The obtained values were used for the determination of the specific energy as a function of the specific discharge power. At the lower discharge rate (C/20), the material was able to deliver 52.0 mAh g− 1 with an average charge voltage of 2.5 V corresponding to a specific energy of 130 Wh kg− 1. The specific capacity recorded at the lowest discharge rate gradually increased with the number of cycles and reached a value of 63 mAh g− 1 at the 150th cycle.