High-rate lithium storage and kinetic investigations of a cubic Mn₂SnO₄@Carbon nanotube composite anode

To solve battery performance problems, the development of novel materials with excellent electrochemical properties is urgently needed. In this study, a facile hydrothermal method was used to synthesize tri-component Mn₂SnO₄ anchored on carbon nanotubes (Mn₂SnO₄@MWCNTs) composite materials with cubic particles and high porosity. The structure and composition of the composite materials were analyzed using microscopic techniques. The composite anode material has a high lithium storage capacity of 1120 mAh g⁻¹ (@ 0.05 C) and good stability at high rates of up to 10.0 C. The kinetic properties during the electrochemical reaction were also investigated. The synergistic effects of the composite anode enable faster charge transfer as evidenced by impedance spectroscopy, which shows that the composite electrode has a charge transfer resistance of 56 Ω, whereas that of the bare Mn₂SnO₄ electrode is 88 Ω. The enhanced electrochemical performance of the Mn₂SnO₄@MWCNTs anode is attributed to the mesoporous structure and the addition of MWCNTs, which enable faster insertion/extraction of Li⁺ ions into/from the material.