Preparation and electrochemical properties of manganese carbonate nanoplate arrays.

In order to increase the working voltage of the aqueous zinc ion batteries with manganese-based material as the positive electrode material, an ultrathin nanosheet array (MnCO3 NA) was grown on a nickel foam substrate by a one-step solvothermal method. The structure, morphology and electrochemical properties of MnCO3 NA were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and battery performance tester. The experiments results showed that the thickness of the MnCO3 NA was about 30 nm and the height was about 500 nm. It was directly applied to the zinc ion battery in the alkaline electrolyte, delivering a high working voltage of 1. 73 V, a specific discharge capacity of 255. 41 mAh/g at 0. 1 A/g, and a capacity retention of 83. 1% after 270 charge-discharge cycles at 0. 5 A/g. In addition, the zinc storage mechanism of the electrode was a mono-phase reaction from Mn2+ to Mn3+, which was analyzed by ex-situ XRD and photoelectron spectroscopy at different potential states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]