Hybrid density functional theoretical study of NASICON-type NaxTi2(PO4)3 (x = 1–4)

Sodium Super Ionic Conductor (NASICON) structured phosphate framework compounds represent a very attractive class of materials for their use as Na-ion battery electrodes. A series of NASICON-structured NaxTi2(PO4)3 compounds corresponding to varying degrees of sodiation (x = 1–4) have been investigated using high-level hybrid density functional theory calculations using the Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals and Gaussian-type basis set formalism together with hybrid B1WC and HSE06 exchange–correlation functionals. Using primitive cells of NaxTi2(PO4)3 compounds with different stoichiometry, sodium sublattice structure and titanium oxidation states are constructed and analyzed using group…