MnO2 Cathodes Integrated with rGO for Highly Conductive Cement-Based Batteries

Cement-based batteries (CBBs) offer a new technical approach for constructing multifunctional structural energy storage systems that combine load-bearing and energy storage capabilities; however, the low intrinsic electronic conductivity of traditional cement-based composite cathodes severely limits their electrochemical performance. In this study, rGO was incorporated into the MnO2 cathode to construct a highly conductive MnO2@rGO composite cathode for Zn-MnO2 cement-based batteries. The interconnected rGO network forms continuous electron transport pathways between MnO2 particles while improving electrical contact between the active material and the current collector. Furthermore, the flake-like rGO framework promotes the uniform dispersion of MnO2 and mitigates particle agglomeration and structural degradation during repeated charge–discharge cycles. Thanks to these synergistic effects, the MnO2@rGO cathode achieved an electronic conductivity of 14.59 mS cm−1, representing a 6243.5% increase over pure MnO2. The assembled cement-based battery exhibited a discharge specific capacity of approximately 125 mAh g−1 at 0.01 mA and retained 80.7% of its initial capacity after 100 cycles. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) results showed that the charge transfer resistance was reduced from 148 Ω for pure MnO2 to 56 Ω, confirming accelerated interfacial charge transport and effective suppression of electrode polarization. This study reveals the crucial role of conductive carbon networks in overcoming the electronic transport bottleneck in cement-based electrodes and provides a scalable design strategy for developing highly conductive and multifunctional structured batteries.