Electrochemical Performance and ex situ Analysis of ZnMn2O4 Nanowires as Anode Materials for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries

One-dimensional ZnMn2O4 nanowires have been prepared and investigated as anode materials in Li rechargeable batteries. The highly crystalline ZnMn2O4 nanowires about 15 nm in width and 500 nm in length showed a high specific capacity of about 650 mAh.g(-1) at a current rate of 100 mA.g(-1) after 40 cycles. They also exhibited high power capability at elevated current rates, i.e., 450 and 350 mAh.g(-1) at current rates of 500 and 1000 mA.g(-1), respectively. Formation of Mn3O4 and ZnO phases was identified by ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies after the initial discharge-charge cycle, which indicates that the ZnMn2O4 phase was converted to a nanocomposite of Mn3O4 and ZnO phases immediately after the electrochemical conversion reaction.