Facile synthesis of microsized MnO/C composites with high tap density as high performance anodes for Li-ion batteries

•Microsized MnO/C spheres are prepared via in situ interfacial polymerization.•The microsized MnO/C composites possess a high tap density of 1.68 g cm−3.•The MnO/C shows gravimetric/volumetric capacities of 818 mAh g−1 and 1374 mAh cm−3.•The MnO/C anode exhibits excellent rate/cycling performance.

Microsized MnO/C composites are synthesized through a facile strategy of in situ interfacial polymerization followed by a simple carbonization process. The MnO/C composites exhibit solid microspherical structure having low specific surface area and high tap density. When evaluated as an anode material for Li-ion batteries, the MnO/C composites show a high gravimetric/volumetric specific capacity of 818 mAh g−1/1374 mAh cm−3 at 100 mA g−1, excellent cycling stability (a capacity retention rate of 99.3% after 100 cycles), and good rate capacity. The microsized MnO/C anode also manifests outstanding capacity recoverability in the different cut-off voltage range of 1.5-3.0 V. The excellent Li-ion storage properties of the MnO/C solid microspheres demonstrate its potential feasibility of practical application for high-performance Li-ion batteries.