Effect Of Applying A Carbon Coating On The Crystal Structure And De-/Lithiation Mechanism Of Mn-Doped Zno Lithium-Ion Anodes

The introduction of transition metal dopants such as Fe and Co in zinc oxide enables substantially enhanced reversible capacities and greater reversibility of the de-/lithiation reactions occurring. Herein, we report a comprehensive analysis of the electrochemical processes taking place in Mn-doped ZnO (Zn0.9Mn0.1O) and carbon-coated Zn0.9Mn0.1O upon de-/lithiation. The results shed light on the impact of the dopant chemistry and, especially, its coordination in the crystal structure. When manganese does not replace zinc in the wurtzite structure, only a moderate improvement in electrochemical performance is observed. However, when applying the carbonaceous coating, a partial reduction of manganese and its reallocation in the crystal structure occur, leading to a substantial improvement in the material's specific capacity. These results provide important insights into the impact of the lattice position of transition metal dopants-a field that has received very little, essentially no attention, so far.