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Boosting the lithium-ion storage performance of dense MnCO3 microsphere anodes via Sb-substitution and construction of neural-like carbon nanotube networks

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Abstract

To boost the electrochemical performance of MnCO3 (MC) microspheres, binary SbxMn1−xCO3 (x = 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3) microspheres, labeled SMC-12, SMC-11 and SMC-21, respectively, were prepared using a solvothermal method. A 3D conductive network of carbon nanotubes (CNT) was also successfully built from the inside to the surface of the SMC-12 microspheres to promote electronic and ionic transportation. As observed, the microspheres of SMC-12 were larger and had a more uniform distribution compared with pure MC, SMC-11 and SMC-21. Profiting from the introduction of neural-like CNTs networks, the electrochemical performance and the utility of the SMC-12 microspheres (approximately 3.5–7 µm in diameter) were remarkably improved. The obtained CNTs@SMC-12 composite anode delivered 1066 and 572 mAh g−1 at current densities of 500 and 5000 mAg−1 after 200 cycles, respectively, which were much higher than the 737 and 297 mAh g−1 of bare SMC-12.

Graphical abstract

With the successful construction of a 3D “neural”-like CNTs conductive network for the Sb1/3Mn2/3CO3 (SMC-12) microsphere, the rate performance, the cyclic stability, the utility of the large size SMC-12 microspheres are remarkably promoted.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51402155), Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) (YX03002), Jiangsu National Synergistic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Foundation of NJUPT (NY217077) and PolyU Start-up Fund for New Recruits (No. 1-ZE8R).

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Author notes

  1. Hao Lu and Ling Bai have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Hao Lu, Yanwu Fang, Jike Yang, Mingtong Yang, Qingchuan Du, Ling Bai, Kang Xiao, Zhen-Dong Huang & Yanwen Ma

  2. Research Institute of Electrochemical Energy, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ikeda, Osaka, 563-8577, Japan

    Titus Masese

  3. Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Centre, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Xusheng Yang

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  1. Hao Lu
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  2. Yanwu Fang
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Correspondence to Zhen-Dong Huang or Yanwen Ma.

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Lu, H., Fang, Y., Yang, J. et al. Boosting the lithium-ion storage performance of dense MnCO3 microsphere anodes via Sb-substitution and construction of neural-like carbon nanotube networks. J Appl Electrochem 48, 1105–1113 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-018-1212-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-018-1212-4

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