Porous cube-like Mn3O4@C as an advanced cathode for low-cost neutral zinc-ion battery

Mn3O4 is regarded as one of the potential cathode materials for neutral zinc-ion battery, due to its high discharge capacity, low cost, and environmental benignity. Unfortunately, the bulk Mn3O4 presents an inferior electrochemical performance resulting from its poor electrochemical activity. In this paper, cubelike Mn3O4@C material with interconnected pores and carbon layers is synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method followed by calcination. Owing to the high specific surface area, enhanced conductivity and protection of carbon layers, the porous cube-like Mn3O4@C cathode presents excellent electrochemical performances, compared with pure Mn3O4 cathode. Our elaborate zinc-ion battery owns an operating voltage of 1.33 V, an energy density of 429.8 W h kg(-1) (based on cathode) at 100 mA g(-1), and achievable capacity of 102.3 mAh g(-1) at a quite high rate of 2000 mAg(-1), as well as maintains a capacity retention of 77.1% over 200 cycles at 500 mA g(-1). Our findings enable Mn(3)O(4 )as a promising cathode candidate in low-cost neutral zinc-ion battery for large-scale energy storage. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.