Enabling PIEZOpotential in PIEZOelectric Semiconductors for Enhanced Catalytic Activities

Abstract

The past several decades have witnessed significant advances in the synthesis and applications of PIEZOelectric semiconductors, an important class of materials, including piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and ferroelectric semiconductors. The intriguing combination of physical and chemical phenomena in PIEZOelectric semiconductors has triggered much interest in PIEZOcatalysis, that is, catalysis enabled by PIEZOpotential (i.e., piezopotential, pyropotential, and ferropotential)‐induced built‐in electric fields, which is the focus of this Minireview. First, the PIEZOelectric materials are briefly introduced. Second, recent developments in PIEZOcatalysis are highlighted, including the introduction of representative PIEZOelectric semiconductors, their possible catalytic mechanisms, novel techniques to produce their PIEZOelectric effects during the catalytic process, and several examples of PIEZOcatalysis. Finally, the challenges in the field and exciting opportunities to further improve the PIEZOcatalytic efficiency are discussed.

Macroscopic Spontaneous Polarization and Surface Oxygen Vacancies Collaboratively Boosting CO2 Photoreduction on BiOIO3 Single Crystals

“…Thus the surface charge distribution caused by the different atomic states and terminals can substantially affect the photocatalytic performance. Surface engineering by defects and hybridization can induce the asymmetric distribution of surface charge, rendering the formation of local polarization electric field to facilitate the rapid transfer of photogenerated carriers on the surface and their participation in the subsequent redox reactions . Bai et al proposed the concept of surface polarization in the Pt–Pd–rGo electrocatalytic system, where the improved hydrogen evolution reaction performance was due to the surface charge polarization caused by Pt and Pd .…”

“…Surface engineering by defects and hybridization can induce the asymmetric distribution of surface charge, rendering the formation of local polarization electric field to facilitate the rapid transfer of photogenerated carriers on the surface and their participation in the subsequent redox reactions. [14] Bai et al proposed the concept of surface polarization in the Pt-Pd-rGo electrocatalytic system, where the improved hydrogen evolution reaction performance was due to the surface charge polarization caused by Pt and Pd. [15] The surface polarization with graphitic carbon rings on polymeric carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) was demonstrated to transport the photoinduced e − and h + in diverse directions, leading to a 21-times improvement of H 2 evolution rate.…”

Nanostructured materials for photocatalysis

“…Apart from the above discussed four categories of photocatalysts, there has been recently an increasing attention on piezoelectric semiconductors in photocatalysis. [293][294][295][296][297] Conventionally, the term "piezoelectric" represents a group of materials (i.e. certain metal oxides) featuring non-centrosymmetric structures, that is, materials which do not possess centre of symmetry in their crystal structure.…”

Construction of Infrared‐Light‐Responsive Photoinduced Carriers Driver for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

“…Pyroelectric materials can form positive and negative pyroelectric fields only by temperature oscillation‐dependent spontaneous polarization, which may function as a driving force to govern the directional migration of photogenerated carriers and thereby promote the separation of carriers 25–28. As mentioned above, the photothermal conversion efficiency of infrared light can be high.…”