Controllable synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical properties of manganese oxide nanoarchitectures

Flowerlike manganese oxide microspheres and cryptomelane-type manganese oxide nanobelts were selectively synthesized by a simple decomposition of KMnO4 under mild hydrothermal conditions without using template or cross-linking reagents. The effect of varying the hydrothermal times and temperatures on the nanostructure, morphology, compositional, and electrochemical properties of the obtained manganese oxides was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the flowerlike manganese oxide microspheres could be obtained at relatively low hydrothermal temperatures, while high hydrothermal temperatures were favorable for the formation of cryptomelane-type manganese oxide nanobelts. A morphology and crystalline evolution of the nanostructures was observed as the hydrothermal temperature was increased from 180 to 240 degrees C. On the basis of changing the temperatures and hydrothermal reaction times, the formation mechanism of cryptomelane-type manganese oxide nanobelts is discussed. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to evaluate the electrochemical properties of the obtained manganese oxide nanostructures, and the results show that the electrochemical properties depend on their shape and crystalline structure. This easily controllable, template-free, and environmentally friendly method has the potential for being used in syntheses of manganese oxide nanomaterials with uniform morphologies and crystal structures.