Environmentally friendly gamma-MnO2 hexagon-based nanoarchitectures: structural understanding and their energy-saving applications

Chemistry. 2009;15(2):492-500. doi: 10.1002/chem.200801814.

Abstract

Although about 200,000 metric tons of gamma-MnO(2) are used annually worldwide for industrial applications, the gamma-MnO(2) structure is still known to possess a highly ambiguous crystal lattice. To better understand the gamma-MnO(2) atomic structure, hexagon-based nanoarchitectures were successfully synthesized and used to elucidate its internal structure for the present work. The structural analysis results, obtained from the hexagon-based nanoarchitectures, clearly show the coexistence of akhtenskite (epsilon-MnO(2)), pyrolusite (beta-MnO(2)), and ramsdellite in the so-called gamma-MnO(2) phase and verified the heterogeneous phase assembly of the gamma-MnO(2) state, which violates the well-known "De Wolff" model and derivative models, but partially accords with Heuer's results. Furthermore, heterogeneous gamma-MnO(2) assembly was found to be a metastable structure under hydrothermal conditions, and the individual components of the heterogeneous gamma-MnO(2) system have structural similarities and a high lattice matches with pyrolusite (beta-MnO(2)). The as-obtained gamma-MnO(2) nanoarchitectures are nontoxic and environmentally friendly, and the application of such nanoarchitectures as support matrices successfully mitigates the common problems for phase-change materials of inorganic salts, such as phase separation and supercooling-effects, thereby showing prospect in energy-saving applications in future "smart-house" systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Conservation of Energy Resources*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Green Chemistry Technology / methods*
  • Humans
  • Manganese Compounds / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Oxides / chemistry*
  • Safety

Substances

  • Manganese Compounds
  • Oxides
  • manganese dioxide