Facile preparation of MnO/Mn3O4 anode from commercial manganese(II) oxalate dihydrate and its advanced lithium storage performance

Manganese oxides are considered a highly promising anode material in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because of their high theoretical capacity, abundant sources, relatively low voltage hysteresis, nontoxic and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, the practical application of these materials faces many challenges such as poor lifespan and serious volume variation during operation. Herein, MnO/Mn 3 O 4 –600 composite was obtained based on a single-step pyrolysis procedure from commercial manganese(II) oxalate dihydrate (MOD, C 2 H 4 MnO 6 ). The MnO/Mn 3 O 4 –600 anode exhibits an exceptionally high reversible capacity of 1041.8 mAh g −1 at the current density of 200 mA g −1 , and a remarkable lifespan at 1000 mA g −1 . The outstanding performance benefits from the formation of porous structures on nanoparticles, which not only mitigate volume changes and prevent the aggregation of internal MnO/Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles, but also enhance the ion diffusion. The in-depth insights into the (de)lithiated mechanism of the electrode are investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Moreover, when applied in a full cell, the MnO/Mn 3 O 4 –600 anode demonstrates exceptional electrochemical property.