A novel high-performance cathode for rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion battery: transformed ZnMnO3 nanosheets from rhodochrosite MnCO3 cubes

Abstract

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion battery (RAZIB) shows great practical value as energy storage system owing to the high safety, low cost, non-polluting, high energy and high power density. However, it still faces a series of scientific and technical problems, such as the undesirable cycling stability and high-rate capability. Herein, we synthesized micro-sized MnCO3 cubes as a novel cathode for aqueous zinc-ion battery, where the cathode materials has the phase transition from rhodochrosite MnCO3 to layered-type ZnMnO3 induced by the continuous uptake/removal of zinc ions during electrochemical cycling. The RAZIB has a specific capacity of 97.6 mA h g[Formula: see text]and distinguished cycling stability up to 5000 cycles with 79.1% retention at 1.8 A g[Formula: see text]. This work benefits for the electrochemical performance of aqueous zinc-ion battery, and clarifies the understanding of its electrochemical mechanism.