Electrochemical Sodiation/Desodiation into Mn(3)O(4) Nanoparticles

[Image: see text] Mn(3)O(4) is considered to be a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its low cost, high capacity, and enhanced safety. However, the inferior cyclic stability of the Mn(3)O(4) anode is a major challenge for the development of SIBs. In this study, a one-step solvothermal method was established to produce nanostructured Mn(3)O(4) with an average particle size of 21 nm and a crystal size of 11 nm. The Mn(3)O(4) obtained exhibits a unique architecture, consisting of small clusters composed of numerous tiny nanoparticles. The Mn(3)O(4) material could deliver high capacity (522 mAh g(–1) at 100 mA g(–1)), reasonable cyclic stability (158 mAh g(–1) after 200 cycles), and good rate capability (73 mAh g(–1) at 1000 mA g(–1)) even without further carbon coating, which is a common exercise for most anode materials so far. The sodium insertion/extraction was also confirmed by a reversible conversion reaction by adopting an ex situ X-ray diffraction technique. This simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly synthesis technique with good electrochemical performance shows that the Mn(3)O(4) nanoparticle anode has the potential for SIB development.