N-doped carbon encapsulated MnO nanoparticles for enhanced lithium storage

N-doped carbon encapsulated MnO nanoparticles (MnO/NC) is synthesized via a straightforward hydrothermal strategy and a subsequent annealing treatment. When evaluated as an anode for lithium ion batteries, MnO/NC exhibits a high reversible capacity (1158 mA h g−1 over 300 cycles at 0.2 A g−1), good cyclability, and excellent rate performance. The superior electrochemical performance should be attributed to the synergistic effect of MnO nanoparticles and N-doped carbon capsules.