Lattice engineering induced amorphization conversion: A multilevel synergistic strategy for ultra–stable MnO Li–ion anodes

MnO anodes face serious limitations in high performance lithium–ion batteries due to their intrinsically low electronic conductivity and significant volume expansion during cycling. Here, we propose a simple lattice–engineering strategy to precisely control the degree of lattice contraction and induce an in situ electrochemical amorphization process. Existing strategies can partially buffer mechanical stress and enhance charge transfer but still fail to overcome the intrinsically poor conductivity of MnO and the limited ability of conventional carbon matrices to accommodate electrochemical amorphization. In our design, we establish a hierarchical stabilization system governed by lattice engineering. Specifically, the lattice contraction introduces controllable oxygen vacancies, which serve as the trigger for a cycle-driven in-situ amorphization mechanism. This intrinsic structural reconstruction, synergized with the extrinsic protection of an N-doped adaptive carbon interface, enables the superior long-term cycling stability and enhanced capacity of MET(5Mn)-700. The MET(5Mn)-700 half–cell retains over 90% of its initial capacity after 500 cycles at 1.0 A g −1 , while an NCM811‖MET(5Mn)-700 full cell maintains 93% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 1C. This multilevel structure–interface–dynamics design overcomes the performance degradation bottleneck of traditional Mn–based anodes, providing a new paradigm for developing high–stability lithium–ion battery anodes.