Decoding the manganese-ion storage properties of Na_1.25V₃O₈ nano-rods

Recent research has focused on Mn-ion batteries (MIBs) and their associated operations to prepare these batteries for stationary energy storage. The features of MIBs could be defined by establishing a steady Mn2+ storage cathode, which is necessary for understanding their practical challenges. In this study, a Na1.25V3O8 (NVO) cathode prepared by the sol-gel technique with a large interlayer spacing was used as an Mn2+ storage host in two different electrolytes (1 M Mn(ClO4)(2) (MC) and 1 M MnSO4 (MS)). The MC electrolyte with stable charge transfer kinetics exhibited better electrochemical performance than the MS electrolyte. Theoretical analyses support that the semiconducting NVO cathode becomes conducting when Mn ions are intercalated into the structure, which helps to understand the stable Mn2+ storage properties in a coin-cell configuration.