3D reticular pomegranate-like CoMn2O4/C for ultrahigh rate lithium-ion storage with re-oxidation of manganese

A three-dimensional (3D) reticular CoMn2O4/C anode with pomegranate-like configuration was synthesized via electrostatic spray deposition technique. It was found that the residual solvents which were generally considered as by-product also acted as a key role in the structure control. By simply varying the feeding rate at a certain temperature in the process, both the structure and the content of carbon in the products were controllable. The percolated reticular structure, accompanying with doublelayer carbon coatings in the pomegranate-like construction, were considered to improve the electrochemical stability even for a longtime discharging/charging at high rate. Due to the re-oxidation of Mn during delithiation and the stable 3D reticular structure, the as-prepared 3D reticular anode with pomegranate-like configuration exhibited high specific capacities (1386.6-695.3 mA h g (1) at 0.315 A g (1)) and good cyclic stability (626.3 mA h g (1) retained after 600 cycles at 12 A g (1)). The approach in this study may provide a new strategy to fabricate other electrode materials based on transition metal oxides for energy storage application. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.