Enhancing zinc storage performance of Mn3O4 cathode through Ag-doping and -crosslinking dual-modification strategy

Octahedral Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles with an Ag-doping and nanoporous Ag (NPS) framework was simply fabricated through an alloying-etching engineering. The dual-modified Mn 3 O 4 (denoted as Ag-Mn 3 O 4 /NPS) consists of Ag-doped Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles crosslinked with three dimensional nanoporous Ag framework. The incorporated Ag dopant is effective in improving the intrinsic ionic and electronic conductivities of Mn 3 O 4 , while the NPS framework is introduced to improve the electron/mass transfer across the entire electrode. Profiting from the dual-modification strategy, the Ag-Mn 3 O 4 /NPS exhibits admirable rate capability and cycling stability. A high reversible capacity of 88.7 mA·h/g can still be retained for over 1000 cycles at a current density of 1 A/g. Moreover, a series of ex-situ experimental techniques indicate that for Ag-Mn 3 O 4 /NPS electrode during the zinc ion storage, Mn 3 O 4 is electrochemically oxidized into various MnO x (e.g., Mn 2 O 3 , MnO 2 ) species in the initial charging, and the subsequent battery reaction is actually the intercalation/deintercalation of H + and Zn 2+ into MnO x .