Journal of Advanced Ceramics (Feb 2022)

Remarkably enhanced piezo-photocatalytic performance in BaTiO3/CuO heterostructures for organic pollutant degradation

  • Chengye Yu,
  • Mengxi Tan,
  • Chengdong Tao,
  • Yuxuan Hou,
  • Chuanbao Liu,
  • Huimin Meng,
  • Yanjing Su,
  • Lijie Qiao,
  • Yang Bai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40145-021-0544-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 3
pp. 414 – 426

Abstract

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Abstract Introducing polarization field of piezoelectric materials is an effective strategy to improve photocatalytic performance. In this study, a new type of BaTiO3/CuO heterostructure catalyst was designed and synthesized to achieve high piezo-photocatalytic activity through the synergy of heterojunction and piezoelectric effect. The BaTiO3/CuO heterostructure shows a significantly enhanced piezo-photocatalytic degradation efficiency of organic pollutants compared with the individual BaTiO3 nanowires (NWs) and CuO nanoparticles (NPs). Under the co-excitation of ultrasonic vibration and ultraviolet radiation, the optimal degradation reaction rate constant k of polarized BaTiO3/CuO heterostructure on methyl orange (MO) dye can reach 0.05 min− 1, which is 6.1 times of photocatalytic rate and 7 times of piezocatalytic rate. The BaTiO3/CuO heterostructure with remarkable piezo-photocatalytic behavior provides a promising strategy for the development of high-efficiency catalysts for wastewater purification, and it also helps understand the coupling mechanism between piezoelectric effect and photocatalysis.

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