Facile preparation of porous one-dimensional Mn2O3 nanostructures and their application as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Porous one-dimensional Mn2O3 nanostructures have been successfully fabricated via a facile hydrothermal treatment and sequential thermal decomposition without any template or surfactant. By adjusting the ethanol content in the solvent system, nanofibers, nanowires and nanorods nanostructures can be selectively prepared. Moreover, corresponding porous one-dimensional Mn2O3 nanostructures can be obtained by calcination at elevated temperatures. Electron microscopic, Fourier transform infrared spectra and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were used to characterize the as-prepared products before and after calcination. As a demonstration of potential applications for lithium-ion batteries anode materials, the polycrystalline porous Mn2O3 nanostructures exhibited a large initial discharge capacity and relative poor cycle performance.