Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers have been successfully synthesized by the combination of a liquid chemical redox reaction (LCRR) and a subsequent carbonization heat treatment. The nanostructures exhibit a unique one-dimensional core/shell architecture, with one-dimensional CNTs encapsulated inside and a MnOx-carbon composite nanoparticle layer on the outside. The particular porous characteristics with many meso/micro holes/pores, the highly conductive one-dimensional CNT core, as well as the encapsulating carbon matrix on the outside of the MnOx nanoparticles, lead to excellent electrochemical performance of the electrode. The CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers exhibit a high initial reversible capacity of 762.9 mAhg−1, a high reversible specific capacity of 560.5 mAhg−1 after 100 cycles, and excellent cycling stability and rate capability, with specific capacity of 396.2 mAhg−1 when cycled at the current density of 1000 mAg−1, indicating that the CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers are a promising anode candidate for Li-ion batteries.
Highlights
With the popularization of mobile electronic devices, lithium ion batteries (LIBs), as inexpensive, flexible, lightweight, and environmentally friendly energy storage device, have attracted more and more attention due to their high output voltage and high energy density[1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
The manganese oxide in the carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/ MnOx hybrid nanofibers includes the main phase Mn3O4 with a hausmannite structure (JCPDS 75–1560) and the minor phase Mn2O3 with a bixbyite structure (JCPDS 71–0636) due to the reducing reaction from contact with the CNTs during the carbonization treatment at 500 °C, which is similar to the manganese oxide in CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers, except that there is some trace MnO phase in the CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers owing to more chances for the manganese oxide nanoparticles to come into contact with the carbon matrix in the composite, according to the intensity of their own X-ray diffraction (XRD) characteristic peaks
The subsequent carbonization treatment processes facilitate the conversion from the parent pure α -MnO2 phase into the composite phases of manganese oxide, mainly owing to the reducing reaction between the MnO2 and the carbon matrix at the high temperature[36,41,42,43], and simultaneously, the carbon shell formation outside of the MnOx nanoparticles originating from the PVP polymer layer covered outside before
Summary
With the popularization of mobile electronic devices, lithium ion batteries (LIBs), as inexpensive, flexible, lightweight, and environmentally friendly energy storage device, have attracted more and more attention due to their high output voltage and high energy density[1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. Nanospheres[28,29], nanorods[30], and so on, have been prepared by many different methods, including the hydrothermal method[26], the solvothermal route[31], the electrospinning method[32], electrochemical techniques, etc Another alternative strategy is to disperse manganese oxide in the form of nanoparticles into a matrix with good conductivity, which could cushion the mechanical effects stemming from the volume changes during the charge/discharge process and simultaneously improve the conductivity of the composite[33,34]. The CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers have been investigated in a preliminary way for potential use as an anode material for the lithium ion battery and have exhibited excellent cycling stability and rate capability
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