Synthesis of Si-Induced MnO/Mn₂SiO₄@C Cuboids as High-Performance Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The exploration of anode materials of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is still a great challenge because of their low electrical conductivity and poor durability. Transition-metal oxides are proposed as a potential alternative, even though their dimension and structure greatly affect their electrochemical properties. In this study, MnO/Mn₂SiO₄@C cuboids were prepared via the polymerization-pyrolysis process. Larger MnCO₃ precursor particles embedded into a monolithic carbon framework and formed smaller nanoparticles owing to the inducing effect of Si element in phthalocyanino silicon (SiPc), giving MnO/Mn₂SiO₄@C cuboids. The micron-scaled cuboid composite can lead to higher tap density and greater electrical performance due to lower interparticle resistance. Therefore, the as-prepared MnO/Mn₂SiO₄@C electrode exhibits stable specific capacities of 585.9 and 423.9 mA h g^-1 after 1000 discharge/charge cycles at 1 and 2 A g^-1, respectively. Meanwhile, an excellent rate capacity of 246.3 mA h g^-1 was achieved even at 30 A g^-1. Additionally, this facile and economical strategy to improve electrode performance provides a commercially feasible way for the construction of high-performance LIBs.