A partial prelithiation process has been employed in order to compensate the irreversible capacity loss of the ZnMn2O4 anode material during the first cycle. The partial prelithiation is carried out by depositing a lithium metal film onto a ZnMn2O4 electrode, and then allowing the film to react with the ZnMn2O4 when electrolyte is added to the cell. The first cycle irreversibility was simply compensated by a controlled partial prelithiation. The structural change during the prelithiation process is confirmed by an ex situ XRD analysis of the pristine and lithium metal deposited electrodes after being impregnated with electrolyte. The irreversible capacity loss is studied as a function of the degree of prelithiation.

Keywords: Zinc-manganate, Prelithiation process, Lithium metal film deposition, Anode material, Lithium-ion battery.