Engineering of Self‐Aggregation‐Resistant MnO2 Heterostructure with A Built‐in Field for Enhanced High‐Mass‐Loading Energy Storage

Abstract

AbstractAlthough MnO2 has been intensively investigated for energy storage, further applications are limited by van der Waals force‐triggered self‐aggregation that always leads to poorly exposed active sites and compromised reaction dynamics, especially under high‐mass‐loading conditions. Herein, by synergistically coupling interfacial modulation with the Kirkendall effect, this work achieves in situ topological structure reorganization of MnOOH toward the high‐aspect‐ratio MnO2 heterostructure (Heter‐MnO2) with fully exposed active sites, which is ready to assemble into self‐supporting high‐mass‐loading film (30 mg cm−2) with restrained self‐aggregation. Theoretical calculation and dynamics analysis results demonstrate the generation of the built‐in field within the heterostructure, thus enhancing the electronic‐transfer and ionic‐adsorption/transport rates. As such, the 30 mg cm−2 Heter‐MnO2 electrode achieves a superior areal capacitance of 4762 mF cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2 and a sound rate performance (79% at 100 mA cm−2) comparable to those of low‐mass‐loading/thin‐film electrodes. As a proof of concept, the fabricated planar interdigital quasi‐solid‐state symmetric micro‐supercapacitor (MSC) based on the Heter‐MnO2 electrode can deliver a remarkable areal capacitance of 181 mF cm−2 and a considerable volumetric energy density of 10.3 mWh cm−3. This methodology highlights the promise of surface/interface chemistry modulation for the configuration of easy‐to‐integrate hierarchical nanostructures to better meet practical energy applications.