Effect of Ce on piezo/photocatalytic effects of Ba0.9Ca0.1CexTi1-xO3 ceramics for dye/pharmaceutical waste water treatment

Ba0.9Ca0.1CexTi1-xO3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.12 and 0.15) ferroelectric ceramics were fabricated via conventional solid-state reaction route. Ba0.9Ca0.1CexTi1-xO3 (BCT-Ce) powder was poled using corona poling. Systematic investigation was carried out for microstructural, photocatalytic and piezocatalysis performance of various compositions of poled and unpoled Ba0.9Ca0.1CexTi1-xO3 ceramics. To assess catalytic activities, rhodamine B (RB) dye, methylene blue (MB) dye and diclofenac (pharmaceutical compounds) were degraded from water under ultrasonication (piezocatalysis) and using 420 rim light (photocatalysis). Photocatalytic activities were improved by almost 100% in poled samples (as compare to the that of observed from unpoled samples) of all the compositions understudy. Incorporation of Ce in Ba0.9Ca0.1CexTi1-xO3 (BCT) induces photocatalytic activity in visible region along with enhancement in piezocatalytic performance.