ZnMn2O4/milk-derived Carbon hybrids with enhanced Lithium storage capability

Abstract

One of the effective ways to improve the conductivity and structural stability of binary metal oxide nanostructures is to tightly composite them with nano-carbon materials with excellent conductivity. However, the introduction of low density carbon materials also reduces the energy density of batteries. Therefore, we provides a new idea to enhance the lithium storage performance of carbon/binary transition metal oxide anode materials by multi-element co-doping carbon. ZnMn2O4 provides high lithium storage capacity; non-metallic heteroatoms in milk-derived carbon greatly improve the conductivity of carbon materials; metal heteroatoms in milk-derived carbon increase the density of carbon materials. Multicomponent co-doping carbon can build up the mass specific capacity, ratio performance, cyclic life and mechanical properties of binary metal oxides/porous carbon nanocomposites. As the anode materials of lithium-ion batteries, the ZnMn2O4/MC (milk-derived carbon) hybrids deliver a high reversible capacity of 1352 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, and a remarkable long-term cyclability with 635 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 1.0 A g−1.