Preparation and electrochemical evaluation of manganese ferrite spheres as anode materials for half and full lithium-ion batteries

•MnFe2O4 spheres are prepared by a facile two-step route.•The MnFe2O4 spheres show excellent electrochemical properties in half cell system.•The integrity of MnFe2O4 electrode could be maintained after the rate test.•The MnFe2O4 anode works well in full cell system with LiCoO2 as cathode.

A simple hydrothermal method combined with a post annealing treatment is developed to produce high crystallinity manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) spheres. The lithium storage properties of the material as an anode in both half and full lithium-ion batteries are investigated. And the electrochemical behaviors of the electrode during lithiation and delithiation process are clarified. Benefited from its sphere-like morphology, the MnFe2O4 electrode exhibits better lithium storage exhibitions than commercial MnFe2O4 particles in half cell system. When assembled with LiCoO2 to construct a full lithium-ion battery (LiCoO2//MnFe2O4), the spheres could deliver a reversible capacity of higher than 600 mA h g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A g−1 in the potential range of 1.2–3.8 V. This work clearly demonstrates the possibility of using LiCoO2//MnFe2O4 configuration for practical high-performance lithium-ion batteries in the near future.