Visible/near-infrared light absorbed nano-ferroelectric for efficient photo-piezocatalytic water splitting and pollutants degradation

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 416; p. 125808
• Main Authors: Xiao, Hongyuan, Dong, Wen, Zhao, Qi, Wang, Feifei, Guo, Yiping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.08.2021
• Subjects: Dye degradation; Gap-state; H2 evolution; NIR-driven photocatalyst; Photo-piezoelectric catalysts; NIR-driven photocatalyst; Gap-state; Dye degradation; Photo-piezoelectric catalysts; H2 evolution; H evolution
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125808

The band structure of ferroelectrics can be modulated by mechanical stress induced piezoelectric polarization charges, and thus to promote the separation of photo-excited carriers, endowing photo-piezocatalysts with good performance in hydrogen production and pollutants degradation. However, the catalytic performance of these conventional photo-piezocatalysts is restricted since they mainly harvest UV light and generally have limited piezoelectricity. Here, in this study, by using self-propagation high-temperature synthesis process, highly piezoelectric gap-state-engineered nano relaxor ferroelectric at the morphotropic phase boundary, such as (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-Ba(Ti0.5Ni0.5)O3 is synthesized for the first time and shows unprecedently light harvesting from UV to near-infrared (λ < 1300 nm). We demonstrate a significantly enhanced photo-piezocatalytic performance for this photo-piezocatalyst. A high hydrogen production rate of ~ 450 μmol g−1 h−1 is obtained and the decomposition of Rhodamine B dye is nearly completed after 20 min under irradiation and ultrasonic vibration. Moreover, an unprecedently efficient NIR-driven photocatalytic degradation of RhB is also demonstrated by using photo-piezocatalysts. This kind of novel multifunctional nano photo-piezocatalysts opens up new horizons to all-day available photo-piezocatalytic technology for a more efficient use of multisource energies from environment. [Display omitted] •Nano ferroelectrics at MPB can be successfully bandgap-engineered for the first time.•Nano ferroelectrics show excellent solar light absorption from UV to NIR.•Novel ferroelectrics can successfully harvest multisource sustainable energies from light and vibration.•High-performance pollutes degradation and H2 production are achieved.•NIR-driven photoferrocatalytic degradation of pollutants is demonstrated for the first time.