Enhanced photocatalytic degradation performance of layered Ag-Bi4Ti3O12 plasmon resonance-coupled piezoelectric effect

Piezoelectric effects in ferroelectric materials arise from generating an internal electric field when subjected to mechanical stress, greatly facilitating the separation of photo-generated charge carriers in photocatalytic processes. However, it faces limitations such as inadequate conductivity and a restricted number of active sites. In this study, we successfully synthesized Ag-Bi4Ti3O12(Ag-BTO) composite piezoelectric photocatalysts using a molten salt method. By harnessing the synergistic combination of the piezoelectric effect and localized surface plasmon resonance, we achieved enhanced efficiency in photocatalytic processes. Optimizing the loading ratio of Ag, we achieved complete degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) within a concise duration of 6 min, with degradation rates 1.867 times and 5.907 times higher than those observed for pure photocatalysis and piezoelectric catalysis, respectively. This research provides an illustrative approach for natural light and different piezoelectric driving forces for environmental remediation and imparts valuable insights for the design of highly efficient piezoelectric photocatalysts.