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

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)O-3 is synthesized for the first time and shows unprecedently light harvesting from UV to near-infrared (lambda < 1300 nm). We demonstrate a significantly enhanced photo-piezocatalytic performance for this photo-piezocatalyst. A high hydrogen production rate of similar to 450 mu mol 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.

Automated summary

In this study, highly piezoelectric gap-state-engineered nano relaxor ferroelectric material was synthesized for the first time, showing unprecedented light harvesting from UV to near-infrared and significantly enhanced photo-piezocatalytic performance. The novel multifunctional nano photo-piezocatalysts demonstrate efficient hydrogen production and pollutant degradation, paving the way for more efficient utilization of multisource energies from the environment.