Light-activated performance of a lithium titanate–carbon nitride–reduced graphene oxide composite for lithium rechargeable batteries

ÇAYIRLI CAN M., Dönmez B. Y., LÖKÇÜ E., ÖZDEN R. C., ANIK M.

Journal of Energy Storage, cilt.181, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 181
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.est.2026.124372
  • Dergi Adı: Journal of Energy Storage
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: 2D composite, Li-ion batteries, LTO, Photo-assistance
  • Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

In this study, LTO/5 wt% and 10 wt% rGO/g-C3N4 composites were synthesized to develop a lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode that simultaneously exhibited photo-catalytic functionality. The incorporation of rGO into LTO was intended to enhance electronic conductivity, increase the effective surface area and shorten Li+ diffusion pathways, while g-C3N4 was introduced to impart photo-activity to the anode. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the characteristic diffraction peaks of the LTO/rGO/g-C3N4 composites coincided with those of pristine LTO, indicating that the crystal structure of LTO remained unchanged after composite formation. The photo-catalytic behavior induced by g-C3N4 was evaluated through on–off photo-current measurements, revealing that the photo-current generated by the 10 wt% composite anode was approximately 30% higher than that of the 5 wt% composite within the potential window of 1–3 V vs. Li/Li+. However, increasing the 2D material content from 5 wt% to 10 wt% resulted in an average capacity reduction of 14% under dark conditions. Consequently, under photo-assisted conditions, the 5 wt% composite anode delivered the highest capacity. Notably, the addition of 5 wt% rGO/g-C3N4 nearly doubled the capacity of pristine LTO while maintaining excellent cycling stability. This substantial performance enhancement highlighted the strong potential of photo-assisted LTO-based composite anodes for next-generation LIB applications.