Magnetic field driven catalysis of multiferroic magnetoelectric nanocomposites

Abstract

Magnetic field as a booster for catalytic reactions has been widely studied in the past few decades. Recently, multiferroic materials with intriguing magnetoelectric coupling effects have been emerging as a new type of catalyst, providing a unique opportunity for magnetically-driven catalytic reactions in a variety of fields, including clean energy, environmental and biomedical applications. In this review, we describe this entirely new catalysis phenomenon observed in multiferroic magnetoelectric composite materials, aiming at giving an in-depth understanding of magnetically-driven catalysis processes based on the direct magnetoelectric-catalytic effect. Moreover, the latest progress in catalytic applications of magnetoelectric nanocomposite nanomaterials is comprehensively summarized. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives for the design and application of high-efficient magneto-multiferroic catalysts are discussed.