A facile template-free preparation of porous manganese oxides by thermal decomposition method

Abstract

Porous Manganese oxides with large surface area were prepared by a facile template-free method. Highly crystallized MnCO3 precursors with micron size in high dispersivity were prepared in water first. Thermal treatment was carried out with the obtained composite at different temperatures to produce porous manganese oxides. Thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements were applied to characterize the porous manganese oxides. Amorphous MnO2 obtained at 400°C shows a mesoporous structure and has a large specific surface area of 135.1 m2/g. Well crystallized α-Mn2O3 crystal with surface area of 18.51 m2/g macroporous framework was obtained at 600°C.