Highly dispersed Mn2O3 microspheres: Facile solvothermal synthesis and their application as Li-ion battery anodes

Nanostructured transition metal oxides are promising alternative anodes for lithium ion batteries. Li-ion storage performance is expected to improve if high packing density energy particles are available. Herein, Mn2O3 microspheres with a ca. 18 mu m diameter and a tapped density of 1.33 g/cm(3) were synthesized by a facile solvothermal thermal coversion route. Spherical MnCO3 precursors were obtained through solvothermal treatment and they decomposed and converted into Mn2O3 microspheres at an annealing temperature of 700 degrees C. The Mn2O3 microspheres consisted of Mn2O3 nanoparticles with an average 40 nm diameter. These porous Mn2O3 microspheres allow good electrolyte penetration and provide an ion buffer reservoir to ensure a constant electrolyte supply. The Mn2O3 microspheres have reversible capacities of 590 and 320 mAh/g at 50 and 400 mA/g, respectively. We thus report an efficient route for the fabrication of energy particles for advanced energy storage. (C) 2015 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.