Facile Synthesis of Mn3O4 Nanoplates-Anchored Graphene Microspheres and Their Applications for Supercapacitors

Hierarchical manganese valence gradient MnO2via phosphorus doping for cathode materials with improved stability

The search for a method for enhancing the electrochemical performance of manganese dioxide is still a challenge. Herein, we report a rod-like P-MnO_x cathode material with a hierarchical manganese gradient valence through the phosphatization process. For the incorporation of P, Mn₃O₄ was formed on the surface of MnO₂ and exhibited a gradient valence structure, while the oxygen defect concentration in P-MnO_x increased. The unique structure was verified via XRD, TEM and XPS. As the cathode material for a supercapacitor, the specific capacitance of P-MnO_x was 126.3 F g^-1, which was four times that of MnO₂. The assembling of the coin cells of aqueous ZIBs with P-MnO_x also showed good rate performance. The electrochemical performance of the synthesised P-MnO_x cathode was enhanced for the synergistic effect of improved conductivity and structural stability.

Facile Green Synthesis of Ni(OH)2@Mn3O4 Cactus-Type Nanocomposite: Characterization and Cytotoxicity Properties

In the present work, the facile eco-friendly synthesis and evaluation of the anti-tumor activity of Ni(OH)₂@Mn₃O₄ nanocomposite were carried out. The synthesis of Ni(OH)₂@Mn₃O₄ nanocomposite from chia-seed extract was mediated by sonication. The obtained materials were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopies. The results of XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, FT-IR, and UV-Vis analysis indicate the successful manufacturing of a crystalline, cactus-type Ni(OH)₂@Mn₃O₄ nanocomposite of 10.10 nm average particle size. XPS analysis confirms that the synthesized materials consist mainly of Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Mn³⁺. The antitumor activity of the nanocomposite was tested against a breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line. The results showed Ni(OH)₂@Mn₃O₄ nanocomposite possesses insignificant cytotoxicity. The cell-death percentage was 34% at a 100 ppm concentration of Ni(OH)₂@Mn₃O₄ nanocomposite. The obtained results imply that the synthesized nanocomposite could be suitable and safe for drug delivery and water treatment.

Self-Assembly of Hausmannite Mn3O4 Triangular Structures on Cocosin Protein Scaffolds for High Energy Density Symmetric Supercapacitor Application

Recent advances in using biological scaffolds for nanoparticle synthesis have proven to be useful for preparing various nanostructures with uniform shape and size. Proteins are significant scaffolds for generating various nanostructures partly because of the presence of many functional groups to recognize different chemistries. In this endeavor, cocosin protein, an 11S allergen, is prepared from coconut fruit and employed as a potential scaffold for synthesizing Mn₃O₄ materials. The interaction between protein and manganese ions is studied in detail through isothermal calorimetric titration. At increased scaffold availability, the Mn₃O₄ material adopts the exact hexamer structure of the cocosin protein. The electrochemical supercapacitive properties of the cocosin-Mn₃O₄ material are found to have a high specific capacitance of 751.3 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 with cyclic stability (92% of capacitance retention after 5000 CV cycles) in a three-electrode configuration. The Mn₃O₄//Mn₃O₄ symmetric supercapacitor device delivers a specific capacitance of 203.8 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 and an outstanding energy and power density of 91.7 W h kg^-1 and 899.5 W kg^-1, respectively. These results show that cocosin-Mn₃O₄ could be considered a suitable electrode for energy storage applications. Moreover, the cocosin protein to be utilized as a novel scaffold in protein-nanomaterial chemistry could be useful for protein-assisted inorganic nanostructure synthesis in the future.

Producing "Symbiotic" Reduced Graphene Oxide/Mn3O4 Nanocomposites Directly from Converting Graphite for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

Almost all existing methods for preparing reduced graphene oxide/Mn₃O₄ (RGO/Mn₃O₄) composites are based on the synthetized graphene or graphene oxides (GO), which make them complicated and high-cost processes. Here, we reported a new method, which is able to convert graphite directly to RGO/Mn₃O₄ composites. Thus, it is simpler, more economical, and productive. The structure of RGO/Mn₃O₄ inheriting intermediate product GO/MnO₂ composites that are formed by the present method is a novel three-dimensional "multilayer steamed bread" nanostructure, which constitutes mutually beneficial "symbiosis". The nano-Mn₃O₄ supports the space between RGO layers and further to the combination of RGO to self-assemble into large-sized (>40 μm) nanocomposites. Meanwhile, the formed Mn₃O₄ particles were small (60 × 10 nm²) in diameter and distributed homogeneously without the use of any template and surfactant. Because the structure and nanosize of composite cause the excellent electrochemical properties, RGO/Mn₃O₄ electrodes deliver an enhanced specific capacitance of 438.7 F/g at 0.3 A/g and outstanding cyclic stability (77.5% of its initial capacitance is retained after 1000 cycles).

Synthesis, phase transformation, and morphology of hausmannite Mn3O4 nanoparticles: photocatalytic and antibacterial investigations

Nano structured Hausmannite (Mn₃O₄) has efficacious applications in numerous fields, such as catalytic, medical, biosensors, waste water remediation, energy storage devices etc. The potential application in wastewater treatment is due to its distinct structural features combined with fascinating physicochemical properties. Another area of interest is the oxidative properties imparted due to its reduction potential. Larger surface to volume ratio and high reactivity than the bulk form shows great progress as antimicrobial agent to control drug resistant microbial population. The distinct surface morphologies, crystalline forms, reaction conditions and synthetic methods exerts significant impact on the photo catalytic and bactericidal efficiency. Hence, the present paper focuses on a concise review of the multifarious study on synthetic methods of Mn₃O₄, growth mechanisms, structural forms, phase transformation and phase control, shape and dimensionality. The review also confers its applications towards photo catalytic and bactericidal studies.

In situ growth of MnO@Na2Ti6O13 heterojunction nanowires for high performance supercapacitors

One-dimensional tunnel and layer frame crystal structure materials are extremely attractive for energy storage in electrode materials. The energy storage properties of the electrode materials depend on their conductivity. Furthermore, the conductivity of electrode materials can be tailored through combination or doping with other materials, which transforms their properties from semiconductor to semimetallic or metallic and allow them to show unequaled performance for storage devices. In this work, heterostructures of manganese oxide (MnO) and modified sodium titanate (Na₂Ti₆O₁₃) (MnO@Na₂Ti₆O₁₃) nanowires are attained by the in situ thermal decomposition method. The heterojunction between MnO and Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ allows the semiconductor properties of pure Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ to show remarkable metallic behavior for improving the electrochemical performance. The capacitance of MnO@Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ heterojunction nanowires can reach 272.3 F g^-1, a power intensity of 250 W kg^-1 at the energy density of 37.83 Wh kg^-1 and retain 5000 W kg^-1 at 6.67 Wh kg^-1 as well. The energy storage mechanism of the MnO@Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ heterostructure is studied by density functional theory. All of the results show that the MnO@Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ heterostructure material has the potential to be an excellent supercapacitor material in the future.

A generalized strategy for the synthesis of two-dimensional metal oxide nanosheets based on a thermoregulated phase transition

Two-dimensional (2D) metal oxide (MO) nanomaterials, like graphene, possess unique electrical, mechanical, optical and catalytic performances, and have attracted substantial research interest recently. However, it remains a challenge to easily obtain 2D MO nanosheets by a generalized synthetic pathway. Here, we report a general and facile strategy for the synthesis of 2D MO nanosheets induced by nonionic surfactant micelles. Notably, the novel strategy primarily relies on the thermoregulated phase transition of the micelles. The resulting 2D MO nanosheets show high specific surface areas. As a demonstration, Sb2O3 nanosheets synthesized by our method as anodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have a high reversible capacity of 420 mA h g-1 and a high capacity retention of 99% after 150 cycles at 0.1 A g-1. Mn3O4 nanosheets for supercapacitors have a remarkable specific capacitance of 127 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1. Even at a large current density of 5 A g-1 after 10 000 cycles, 96% of the specific capacitance is retained, demonstrating the remarkable performance of these nanosheets for energy storage applications.

Performance enhancement of asymmetric supercapacitors with bud-like Cu-doped Mn3O4 hollow and porous structures on nickel foam as positive electrodes

Cu-doped Mn₃O₄ hollow nanostructures supported on Ni foams as high-performance electrode materials for supercapacitors were successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method and subsequent calcination. The morphology, structure, and electrochemical performance of the as-prepared Mn₃O₄ nanostructures can be tuned just by varying the Cu doping content. Benefiting from the unique bud-like hollow structure, the 1.5 at% Cu-doped Mn₃O₄ sample has a high specific capacitance of 257.6 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ and remarkable stability (about 90.6% retention of its initial capacitance after 6000 electrochemical cycles). Besides, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) cell based on the 1.5 at% Cu-doped Mn₃O₄ exhibits a high specific capacitance of 305.6 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ and an energy density of 108.6 W h kg⁻¹ at a power density of 799.9 W kg⁻¹. More importantly, the ASC shows good long-term stability with 86.9% capacity retention after charging/discharging for 6000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g⁻¹.

The effect of Cu doping on the electrochemical performance of bud-like Mn₃O₄ nanostructures for supercapacitor application was comparatively investigated.