One-pot synthesis of MnO2/coconut shell-derived activated carbon composite with high zinc storage performance

Herein, the MnO2/coconut shell-derived activated carbon composite (MnO2/AC) has been prepared via a facile hydrothermal process. To prepare AC, coconut shell and K2CO3 have been utilized as the raw material and the activator, respectively. In the composite, MnO2 nanorods are well dispersed on AC, which demonstrates combination effect, and hence inhibiting the dissolution of MnO2 and improving the conductivity of MnO2 during the charging and discharging process. The as-prepared MnO2/AC possesses good cyclic performance and superior rate capability when applied in zinc ion battery. The discharge capacity of MnO2/AC remains 204.1 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 after 200 cycles.