Porous MnO/C of composite nanostructure consisting of nanorods and nano-octahedra as anode of lithium ion batteries with enhanced electrochemical performances

• Porous MnO/C with composite nanostructure was prepared by hydrothermal reaction.
• The composite nanostructure is consisting of nanorods and nano-octahedra.
• The nRO-MnO/C delivers a charge capacity of 628.9 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 1.32 C.
• The superior electrochemical performance should be owed to composite structure.

Porous MnO/C materials of composite nanostructure consisting of nanorods and nano-octahedra (denoted as nRO-MnO/C) were synthesized for the first time through a one-pot hydrothermal procedure followed by thermal annealing using PEG6000 as a soft template. When served as anode of LIBs, the nRO-MnO/C materials could maintain a reversible capacity as high as 861.3 mAh g−1 after 120 cycles at a rate of 0.13 C (1 C = 755.6 mA g−1), and a stable capacity of 313.5 mAh g−1 at a much higher rate of 4.16 C. Moreover, excellent long cycleability at high rate has been also evidenced by a capacity of 628.9 mAh g−1 measured after 300 cycles at 1.32 C. In comparison with mono-form porous nanorods (nR-MnO/C) and mono-form porous nano-octahedra (nO-MnO/C), the enhanced electrochemical performances of the nRO-MnO/C materials are attributed to the composite nanostructure, in which the nano-octahedra contact effectively with nanorods by laying in the space between them yielding synergy effect that facilitates the electronic transportation on electrode.

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