Photonic split-second induced mesoporous TiO2-Graphene architectures for efficient sodium-ion batteries

Abstract Rechargeable sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have received significant attention as a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion counterparts for large-scale energy storage applications owing to the low cost and abundance of sodium resources. Herein, we demonstrate the photonic irradiated mesoporous reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-TiO2 nanocomposite architectures using environmentally benign, ultrafast split-second (millisecond) intense pulsed light (IPL) process at room temperature. The photonic IPL irradiation spontaneously triggers the deoxygenation of graphene oxide (GO) and the simultaneous structural engineering of TiO2 nanocomposites. The precisely controlled IPL irradiation (energy density of 10 J cm-2) exhibits excellent conductivity, high surface area, and outstanding electrochemical performance as a green anode material for SIBs. The photonic IPL irradiated rGO-TiO2 nanocomposite delivers a high reversible capacity of 244 mAh g-1 at 0.1 Ag-1, a high rate performance of 112 mAh g-1 at 1 Ag-1, and high cycling stability compared to pristine GO-TiO2 and conventional furnace annealed rGO-TiO2 (FH-rGO-TiO2) nanocomposites. The detailed electrochemical analysis suggests the improved capacitance contribution results from the fast kinetics of the IPL irradiated rGO-TiO2 nanocomposite anode. This work provides new insight into the fabrication of versatile, cost-effective techniques for developing advanced electrode materials for energy applications.