Highly efficient piezoelectric field enhanced photocatalytic performance via in situ formation of BaTiO3 on Ti3C2Tx for phenolic compound degradation

Abstract

The strategy of boosting the photocatalytic activity through an internal potential field has attracted wide attention. Therefore, the coupling of the piezoelectric effect and photocatalytic process promoted the separation of photogenerated carriers, thus increasing the piezo-photocatalytic activity. Herein, BaTiO₃ nanoparticles were prepared on the Ti₃C₂T_x surface by an in situ hydrothermal method. The obtained BaTiO₃/Ti₃C₂T_x piezo-photocatalysts exhibited rapid electron transfer, a low energy bandwidth of 2.18 eV, and a wide visible light response range of 400–800 nm. Their phenol degradation rate reached 94.3% within the first 60 min of reaction conducted under light irradiation and ultrasonic vibration. During the phenol degradation process, intermediate products were generated first and then mineralized into CO₂ and H₂O due to the influence of the piezoelectric potential of the BaTiO₃/Ti₃C₂T_x photocatalysts. Furthermore, ultrasonic vibration produced a piezoelectric field on the BaTiO₃/Ti₃C₂T_x, which enhanced the separation of photogenerated carriers, making hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) the most active species in the synergistic degradation of phenol. These results demonstrate that coupling piezoelectric and photocatalytic properties has broad application prospects in water pollution control.