Coaxial α-MnSe@N-doped carbon double nanotubes as superior anode materials in Li/Na-ion half/full batteries

Coaxial nanotubes are a significant class of nanoscale building blocks for advanced electrodes of secondary batteries. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) coaxial double nanotubes (DNTs) consisting of α-MnSe inner tubes and N-doped carbon (N–C) outer tubes (abbreviated as α-MnSe@N–C DNTs) are successfully prepared and are demonstrated to be promising anode material for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries (LIBs/NIBs). When used in LIBs, it was revealed by ex situ XRD/HRTEM studies and electrode kinetics that a new electrochemical α → β phase transition plays a crucial role in improving the cycling stability. As a result, the α-MnSe@N–C DNTs electrode delivers a high Li-storage capacity (800 mA h g−1 at 50 mA g−1), excellent rate capability (405 mA h g−1 at 14 A g−1) and ultra-long cycling stability (a high capacity retention of 87.2% even after 9000 cycles at 2 A g−1) with retained 1D morphology. In addition, the outer N–C nanotube can effectively protect the active α-MnSe inner nanotube to realize such outstanding electrochemical properties owing to the high electrical conductivity and particular 1D coaxial nanoarchitecture of the inner nanotube. Moreover, α-MnSe@N–C DNTs also exhibit excellent Li/Na-storage properties and full-cell performances when coupled with commercial LiFePO4 and LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathodes in LIBs as well as with the Na3V2(PO4)2O2F cathode in NIBs.