Coaxial MWNTs@MnCo₂O₄ wrapped in conducting graphene for enhanced lithium ion storage

In this report, nanocomposites of MWNTs@MnCo₂O₄@Gs are synthesized via a wet-chemical approach, in which double layer of MnCo₂O₄ particles evenly attached on MWNTs and wrapped in graphene. As an anode material for lithium batteries (LIBs), the designed MWNTs@MnCo₂O₄@Gs delivers LIB performance with superior rate capability and a large reversible capacity of 1094 mAh g⁻¹ after 300 cycles tested at 200 mA g⁻¹, respectively. The MWNTs@MnCo₂O₄@Gs electrodes deliver reversible capacities of 752 and 520 mAh g⁻¹ after 80 cycles at high current densities of 1.0 and 3.0 A g⁻¹, being much larger than those values of 155 and 125 mAh g⁻¹ without Gs wrapping. The results revealed that the reserved space structure combined with conductive carbon supporting of MWNTs and Gs can effectively provide buffer for the volume expansion of Li⁺ insertion/extraction process, promote the ion/electron transport, and finally improve their LIB performance. Thus, such structure design supplied a promising route to obtain binary metal oxide-based anode in order to achieve high-performance LIBs.