Efficient enhancement of piezo-catalytic activity of BaTiO3-based piezoelectric ceramics via phase boundary engineering

Piezoelectric catalysis stemmed from lead-free piezoelectric ceramics is an emerging catalytic technology applied extensively in degradation of organic pollutants due to its low energy consumption and non-pollution. However, the dissatisfied catalytic efficiency of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics has constrained their further development and application. Herein, we employ ion doping to modulate the phase boundary construction of BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric ceramics (BaTi_(1-x)(Zr_1/3Sn_1/3Hf_1/3)_xO₃, BTZSH-x), and the degradation performances of organic dyes are explored to illuminate the piezo-catalytic mechanism. The ion doping alters the phase boundary of BaTiO₃ ceramics and a two-phase coexistence of rhombohedral-orthorhombic is achieved at room temperature in BTZSH-0.04 ceramic. Consequently, the BTZSH-0.04 ceramic exhibits an excellent degradation efficiency of rhodamine B with 97.27% in 60min and a high reaction rate constant of 0.056 min⁻¹ under ultrasonication which is 7.4 times more than that of pristine BaTiO₃. This work provides an advisable policy for constructing environmental-friendly piezoelectric materials with glorious piezo-catalytic activity.