Enhanced Cycle Performance of Rechargeable Li-CO₂ Batteries Using Nanostructured AMn₂O₄ (A = Ni, Zn, Co) Electrocatalysts

Rechargeable Li-CO₂ batteries face challenges of sluggish reaction kinetics and poor rechargeability. Highly efficient electrocatalysts are urgently needed to decompose the discharge product, Li₂CO₃. Mn-based transition metal oxides are regarded as promising candidates for improving the cycle performance and reaction kinetics of Li-CO₂ batteries. Notably, morphology engineering plays a vital role in enhancing electrocatalytic performance by tuning the structure of the electrode. Herein, we adopted a morphology engineering strategy to develop nanostructured Mn-based electrocatalysts with high surface area and rich active sites. The nanostructured electrocatalysts were synthesized using a facile anodic electrodeposition method by depositing Mn-based hydroxides directly onto a carbon cloth electrode, followed by a calcination process. The electrochemical characterization showed that the Li-CO₂ battery with Mn-based transition metal oxides AMn₂O₄ (A = Ni, Zn, Co) achieves impressive cycle performance (over 150 cycles at 100 mA/g). This work not only exhibits the excellent electrocatalytic performance of Mn-based transition metal oxide but also demonstrates a general selection principle for next-generation electrocatalysts for metal-CO₂ batteries.