Amorphous carbon and carbon nanotubes synergistically reinforced with MnO2 as a cathode material for zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have gained significant interest as a future replacement for Li-ion batteries, mainly since the materials and assembly techniques used in ZIBs are safe and in line with the development of green chemistry. We have designed a cathode material with excellent cycling stability for ZIBs and prepared MnO2/CNTs@C nanocomposites by the hydrothermal method. The two‑carbon strategy's synergistic effect improves manganese-based materials' structural stability. The electrode provided an initial discharge capacity of 305 mAh·g−1 and still provided 160.4 mAh·g−1 after 6000 cycles at a current density of 2 A·g−1, with a stable capacity retention of 91.4 %. Ex-situ XRD and XPS results successfully confirmed that the continuous Zn2+ and H+ intercalation reactions occurred in ZIBs. The superior stability of MnO2/CNTs@C electrodes provides a new approach for the wide application of aqueous ZIBs in daily life in the future. [Display omitted] •MnO2/CNTs@C nanocomposites synthesized via hydrothermal technique.•MnO2 performance is significantly improved.•Initial discharge capacity up to 305 mAh·g−1 (0.1 A·g−1).•Constant current charge/discharge 6000 cycles (2 A·g−1) can provide 160.4 mAh·g−1.