An Extremely-Simple Method for Large-Scale Synthesis of Nano-Structured MnO Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Battery

Using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as stabilizer to control particle size, an easy-accessible PEG-assisted solid-state process is successfully developed. The method mainly involves ball-milling and sintering processes, so it is very suitable for scale-up production. Through systematic characterization, it has been found that the morphology and the particle size (less than 100 nm) of the cubic MnO are indeed successfully controlled. The galvanostatic charge/discharge tests show that the acquired MnO sample exhibits a high initial coulombic efficiency around 72%, a good cyclic performance (the capacity retention about 90% after 50 cycles) and an improved rate capability. The electrochemical performance improvements are mainly due to the reasons as following: the smaller particles and higher specific surface area can shorten the pathway for Li⁺ and electron transport; better structure is positive for reducing irreversible capacity loss; nanostructure can partly accommodate the strains of Li ion intercalation/de-intercalation.