Mesoporous Mn₂O₃/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite with enhanced electrochemical performance for Li-ion battery

Transition metal oxides are the most promising candidates in low-cost and eco-friendly energy storage/conversion applications. Herein, bare Mn₂O₃ and a Mn₂O₃/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite have been synthesized by a facile chemical co-precipitation and subsequent annealing procedure. The synthesized Mn₂O₃/rGO composite exhibits a porous microcube structure formed with several interconnected particles. The porous Mn₂O₃/rGO composite, with high surface area and increased conductivity, facilited the charge transfer to enhance the overall electrochemical performance when applied as an anode material in Li-ion batteries. The porous Mn₂O₃/rGO composite exhibits a highly reversible lithium storage capacity of 1015 mA h g^-1 at a rate of 0.5 C (230 mA g^-1) during 130 cycles with excellent cycling stability and rate capability. The superior electrochemical performance results mainly due to the combined effect of rGO and Mn₂O₃, which offers high conductivity, faster Li⁺ ion transfer, and enhanced structural stability. The material synthesis strategy presented in this study is simple, cost-effective and scalable, which can open new avenues for large-scale applications of composites of graphene and other transition metal oxides.