Ferroelectric Polarization-Enhanced Photocatalysis in BaTiO3-TiO2 Core-Shell Heterostructures

Abstract

Suppressing charge recombination and improving carrier transport are key challenges for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity of heterostructured photocatalysts. Here, we report a ferroelectric polarization-enhanced photocatalysis on the basis of BaTiO3-TiO2 core-shell heterostructures synthesized via a hydrothermal process. With an optimal weight ratio of BaTiO3 to TiO2, the heterostructures exhibited the maximum photocatalytic performance of 1.8 times higher than pure TiO2 nanoparticles. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the promotion of charge separation and transport based on the internal electric field originating from the spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric BaTiO3. High stability of polarization-enhanced photocatalysis is also confirmed from the BaTiO3-TiO2 core-shell heterostructures. This study provides evidence that ferroelectric polarization holds great promise for improving the performance of heterostructured photocatalysts.

CuInS2/Mg(OH)2 Nanosheets for the Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline

“…The parameters such as average roughness (R a ), root mean square roughness (R q ), and surface skewness (S sk ) obtained by Nanoscope analysis software (Table S2) were employed to describe the surface roughness of 2-CIS/Mg(OH) 2 in the sorption-photocatalysis process for the TCH removal [48]. Due to the interface dependence of sorption-photocatalytic reaction, high surface roughness values are likely to facilitate the adsorption and photocatalysis processes, while the excessively high surface roughness induces to the mechanical and structural collapse [49]. Due to the efficient adsorption capacity and thin interpenetration layer of TCH molecules on the active sites, the R a (44.2 nm), R q (58.7 nm), and S sk (0.45) values of this sample after adsorbed for 2.0 h at room temperature are higher than those values (8.9 nm, 15.40 nm, and 2.80) of fresh 2-CIS/Mg(OH) 2 .…”

Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity of Ag QDs Anchored on CeO2 Nanosheets with a Carbon Coating

“…The concentration of the defect oxygen (or oxygen vacancy) in the O 1s XPS spectrum of the used 3-Ag/CeO 2 @C-2 (Figure 2B) was higher than that of a fresh sample. This was due to the released and adsorbed oxygen of CeO 2 and the defect structure of Ce 3+ –O v –Ce 4+ (O v - oxygen vacancy) under reduction and oxidation conditions [38,42]. The C1 spectra of CeO 2 @C-2 (Figure 3C) and fresh and used 3-Ag/CeO 2 @C-2 (Figure 2C) were divided into three Gaussian peaks at 288.4 eV, 285.3 eV, and 284.8 eV, which respectively belonged to C=O, C–OH, and C–C/C=C bonds.…”

“…Apart from a doping strategy, noble metals such as Au and Ag loaded on CeO 2 have been confirmed to present much better photocatalytic activity [41]. In addition, the fabrication of heterojunctions coupled with other semiconductors can simultaneously enhance the separation efficiency of charge carriers and restrain the recombination rate of photoexcited electron–hole pairs through the interface structure of different semiconductors, especially core–shell structures [42,43,44]. To further avoid photocorrosion in solar energy-driven reaction systems, carbon has been employed for the synthesis of heterojunction composites due to its unique physicochemical properties and low cost [45,46,47,48].…”

Bacterial Lysis via Photocatalysis ‐ A Critical Mechanistic Review

“…A report by Liu et al., BaTiO 3 demonstrating ferroelectric polarization induced photocatalysis when coupled with TiO 2 in a core‐shell structure. The negative and positive charge centers at BaTiO 3 core can attract the holes and electrons at the heterojunction and allowing opposite charges to reach at the surface to efficiently facilitate the redox reactions, as shown in Figure (b) …”