Solvothermal synthesis of ZnMn₂O₄ as an anode material in lithium ion battery

In order to reduce the solvothermal reaction time to prepare a pure phase of ZnMn₂O₄ as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, we have investigated the effect of the mixing times as an important reaction factor. It is found that the mixing times of zinc nitrate play an important role in removing the ZnO impurity phase which diminishes its electrochemical performance. The in-situ and ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) for the pure phase of ZnMn₂O₄ during the first discharge and charge process showed that the crystalline ZnMn₂O₄ was converted to amorphous phase through a series of conversion reactions and the study of magnetic property revealed the MnO phase existed in the 1^st cycled crystalline ZnMn₂O₄ electrode. The pure ZnMn ₂O₄ electrode showed initial discharge capacity of about 820 mAh g^-1 and 57% of initial capacity retention after 50 cycles at a rate of C/10.