Effect of Non-ionic Surfactants and Its Role in K Intercalation in Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide

The effect of non-ionic surface active agents (surfactants) Triton X-100 (TX-100) and Tween-20 (Tw-20) and their role in potassium intercalation in electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) produced from manganese cake has been investigated. Electrosynthesis of MnO2 in the absence or presence of surfactant was carried out from acidic MnSO4 solution obtained from manganese cake under optimized conditions. A range of characterization techniques, including field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Rutherford back scattering (RBS), and BET surface area/porosity studies, was carried out to determine the structural and chemical characteristics of the EMD. Galvanostatic (discharge) and potentiostatic (cyclic voltammetric) studies were employed to evaluate the suitability of EMD in combination with KOH electrolyte for alkaline battery applications. The presence of surfactant played an important role in modifying the physicochemical properties of the EMD by increasing the surface area of the material and hence, enhancing its electrochemical performance. The TEM and RBS analyses of the discharged EMD (gamma-MnO2) material showed clear evidence of potassium intercalation or at least the formation of a film on the MnO2 surface. The extent of intercalation was greater for EMD deposited in the presence of TX-100. Discharged MnO2 showed products of Mn2+ intermediates such as MnOOH and Mn3O4.