Uniform carbon layer coated Mn3O4 nanorod anodes with improved reversible capacity and cyclic stability for lithium ion batteries.

A facile one-step solvothermal reaction route to large-scale synthesis of carbon homogeneously wrapped manganese oxide (Mn(3)O(4)@C) nanocomposites for anode materials of lithium ion batteries was developed using manganese acetate monohydrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone as precursors and reactants. The synthesized Mn(3)O(4)@C nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The synthesized tetragonal structured Mn(3)O(4) (space group I41/amd) samples display nanorodlike morphology, with a width of about 200-300 nm and a thickness of about 15-20 nm. It is shown that the carbon layers with a thickness of 5 nm are homogeneously coated on the Mn(3)O(4) nanorods. It is indicated from lithium storage capacity estimation that the Mn(3)O(4)@C samples display enhanced capacity retention on charge/discharge cycling. Even after 50 cycles, the products remains stable capacity of 473 mA h g(-1), which is as much 3.05 times as that of pure Mn(3)O(4) samples. Because of the low-cost, nonpollution, and stable capacity, the carbon homogeneously coated Mn(3)O(4)@C nanocomposites are promising anode material for lithium ion batteries.