N-doped carbon encapsulated porous MnO/Mn ₃ O ₄ submicrospheres as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Although Mn-based composites are promising anode materials for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owning to their high theoretical capacity (about 2–4 times of commercial graphite), they have some practical limitations such as poor electronic conductivity and large volume expansion, which leading to poor cycle performance. Herein, we developed a versatile strategy to synthesize porous structured MnO/Mn ₃ O ₄ submicrospheres encapsulated by N-doped carbon shell (MnO/Mn ₃ O ₄ @NC) through an efficient annealing treatment. The as-prepared MnO/Mn ₃ O ₄ @NC composite delivered an excellent electrochemical performance, including a high reversible capacity of 990 mA h g ⁻¹ at 0.2 A g ⁻¹ over 100 cycles and superior rate capability. The outstanding electrochemical performance of MnO/Mn ₃ O ₄ @NC could be attributed to its porous structure and the well-defined protection by N-doped carbon shell for facilitating the transport of electrons and alleviating the volume expansion.