Unusual formation of single-crystal manganese sulfide microboxes co-mediated by the cubic crystal structure and shape.

Kept cubic: MnS microboxes, which act as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, are synthesized by a simple H(2)S gas sulfidation approach (TEM images show porous and hollow microcubes and a microbox). The formation of the single crystals is aided by the intrinsic cubic crystal structure and the nearly cubic shape of the MnCO(3) precursor.