Spinel ZnMn2O4 Nanocrystal‐Anchored 3D Hierarchical Carbon Aerogel Hybrids as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries. (2nd April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yin, Longwei; Zhang, Zhiwei; Li, Zhaoqiang; Hao, Fengbin; Li, Qun; Wang, Chengxiang; Fan, Runhua; Qi, Yongxin
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 24:Number 26(2014)
• Page Start: 4176
• Page End: 4185
• Publication Date: 2014-04-02
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201400108
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>To improve the electrochemical performance of spinel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, i.e., its limited specific capacity, cycling performance, and rate properties, owing to its inherent poor electrical conductivity and large volume changes during lithiation and delithiation processes, spinel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanocrystals are anchored into a three dimensional (3D) porous carbon aerogel (CA) through a facile solution immersion chemical route. The designed 3D spinel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/CA hybrids display the advantages of both spinel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> and porous CA: enormous interfacial surface area, connected 3D framework, abundant porosity and high electron transport properties of CA, and electrochemical properties of nanostructured spinel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> oxide materials. The synthesized novel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/CA hybrids display a significantly improved electrochemical performance, with a high reversible specific capacity, and high‐rate capability, as well as an excellent cycling performance, superior to that of previously reported ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>‐based materials. After 50 cycles, the 50%ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/CA hybrid displays a reversible capacity of 833 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> at a current density of 100 mAg<sup>‐1</sup>, much higher than the theoretical capacity of 784 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> for pure spinel ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> materials, corresponding to a Coulombic efficiency of 99.9%. The greatly improved cycle stability, specific capacity, and high rate performance of the ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/CA hybrids can be attributed to the synergistic interaction between spinel‐structured ZnMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanoparticles and the 3D interconnected porous CA matrix.</p> </abstract>