A Facile Synthesis of Urchin-Like ZnMn2O4 Architectures with Enhanced Electrochemical Lithium Storage

As conversion material, ZnMn2O4 has a high theoretical specific capacity as an anode for Lithium-ion batteries. This paper has designed a facile method to prepare urchin-like ZnMn2O4 architectures with high quality and well crystallinity. The resultant urchin-like ZnMn2O4 architectures exhibit high discharge capacity and excellent cycling stability. The initial discharge capacity of urchin-like ZnMn2O4 architectures is 1167 mAh g(-1) at 0.4 A g(-1) and the electrode materials could maintain high reversible capacity of 889 mAh g(-1) after 150 cycles. Even in the high current density of 1 A g(-1), the electrode of urchin-like ZnMn2O4 can keep a high reversible capacity of 578 mAh g(-1) after 300 cycles. The improved electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the urchin-like architectures of the as-prepared ZnMn2O4, which could be conducive to the transmission of lithium ions and electrons and provide sufficient void spaces to tolerate the volume change during the Li+ intercalation. These results revealed that as-prepared urchin-like ZnMn2O4 architectures would be a promising anode for high performance Lithium-ion batteries.