A stable structure zinc manganese oxide (ZnMn2O4) synthesized via a facile coprecipitation method as high performance air electrode catalyst for potassium-oxide batteries

Abstract

Potassium-oxygen batteries as promising energy storage system have been widely concerned at present. In this paper, we obtain a zinc manganese oxide (ZnMn2O4) catalyst via a facile coprecipitation method. XRD and Raman tests show that ZnMn2O4 at the Zn and Mn molar ratio to 1:2 along with hot-heat treatment at 150 °C has a higher crystallinity and lower heterophase content. SEM observes that ZnMn2O4 material shows uniform spherical morphology with loose arrangement, which can be beneficial to mass transfer and discharge products storage. Electrochemical test results display that air electrode with ZnMn2O4 as catalyst has rapid electron and ion transfer speed and successfully carries out the charge and discharge process in the potassium-oxygen battery system.