Synthesis of High-Quality α-MnSe Nanostructures with Superior Lithium Storage Properties.

High-quality α-MnSe nanocubes were successfully prepared for the first time by an effective hot injection synthesis strategy. This approach was simple but robust and had been applied to the controllable synthesis of different sizes and diverse morphologies of α-MnSe nanostructures. The crystal phases, compositions, and microstructures of these nanostructures had been systematically characterized with a series of techniques. As a proof-of-concept application, the as-prepared α-MnSe nanocubes were used as an anode material for a lithium ion battery, which exhibited superior rate ability and ultralong cycle stability in half-cell and full-cell tests. Importantly, the phase transition from α-MnSe to β-MnSe during the electrochemical process was proved by ex situ X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction. The excellent electrochemical performance of α-MnSe endowed its potential as an anode material candidate for high performance lithium storage.