Hande Bahar

Advisor: Prof. Hailong Chen 

will defend a master’s thesis entitled,

Electrodeposition-derived MnO2  as a Cathode Material for Aqueous Zinc-ion Batteries

On

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

2 - 3 pm 

MRDC 3515 Conference Room

or virtually via Teams: 

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/27383687193711?p=5UjqkvKqUUcvSeFrWA

Committee:

Prof. Hailong Chen - Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering (advisor)

Prof. Meilin Liu - School of Materials Science and Engineering 

Prof. Anju Toor - School of Materials Science and Engineering

Abstract

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as promising energy storage systems due to their safety, low cost, and environmental compatibility. Among various cathode materials, MnO₂ stands out because of its abundance, non-toxicity, and structural versatility.

This study investigates the synthesis, structural characterization, and electrochemical performance of electrodeposited MnO₂ polymorphs as cathode materials for AZIBs. Phase-controlled MnO₂ films were successfully fabricated via electrodeposition by tuning precursor chemistry and deposition conditions. Cathodic deposition from KMnO₄-based electrolytes produced layered δ-MnO₂, while acidic MnSO₄-based systems enabled the formation of ε-MnO₂. Structural analysis using X-ray diffraction confirmed the phase evolution and highlighted the strong influence of substrate and deposition parameters on crystallinity and film quality. Electrochemical testing revealed that electrodeposited MnO₂, consisting of 100% active material without binders, exhibited higher specific capacity compared to commercial β-MnO₂. 

Overall, this work demonstrates that electrodeposition is an effective route for phase-controlled synthesis of MnO₂ and provides insights into structure–performance relationships for improving AZIB cathodes.