Development on Piezoelectric Catalysis of Barium Titanate-Based Materials

With the rapid development of socio-economic structures, energy shortages and environmental pollution increasingly emerge as global challenges, creating opportunities for the advancement of piezoelectric catalytic technology. Barium titanate (BaTiO₃) is extensively utilized in piezoelectric catalysis due to its low cost, robust mechanical stability, and exceptional piezoelectric properties. The existing research on BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric materials primarily concentrates on their application in the degradation of organic pollutants, water decomposition for hydrogen production, hydrogen peroxide synthesis, and various medical applications. As research deepens, the scope of BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric materials in piezoelectric catalysis expands to some areas such as CO₂ reduction, nitrogen (N₂) fixation, and heavy metal ion removal. This review focuses on BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric materials, initially detailing their piezoelectric catalytic mechanisms and briefly outlining their energy sources. This review also represents some applications of BaTiO₃ in piezoelectric catalysis, highlighting significant advancements in diverse areas such as pollutant degradation (i.e., organic dyes and antibiotics), energy production (i.e., hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen), CO₂ reduction, nitrogen fixation, and medical applications. Furthermore, this review critically examines some challenges faced by BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric catalysts in practical applications and discusses potential optimization strategies to facilitate their development and application in the field of piezoelectric catalysis.

BaTiO₃ is widely investigated as a piezoelectric catalyst due to its high safety, low preparation cost, stability, and environmental friendliness. This review provides a comprehensive review of the catalytic mechanisms of BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric materials, their energy sources, and recent advancements in the field of piezoelectric catalysis. The existing research into the applications of BaTiO₃-based materials primarily focuses on organic pollutant degradation, hydrogen production via water splitting, hydrogen peroxide synthesis, and biomedical uses. However, most studies remain in lab-scale and do not deal with industrial applications. The practical applications of BaTiO₃-based materials face some challenges despite having superior piezoelectric catalytic performance in various fields. Firstly, in practical applications, BaTiO₃ suffers from a low carrier concentration and a rapid recombination rate, restricting its catalytic efficiency. Secondly, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the piezoelectric catalytic mechanisms of BaTiO₃. The band theory and shielding charge effects are used to explain these mechanisms, but they do not fully elucidate all catalytic phenomena. The existing research shows that the piezoelectric effect of BaTiO₃ can enhance reactant conversion. However, the specific reaction pathways and intermediate formation mechanisms require a further investigation. In addition, the stability and reusability of BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric catalytic materials in practical applications need a urgent attention. To address these challenges, future research should focus on the following aspects:

1) Development of new material systems and optimization of modification strategies: Moving beyond conventional modification frameworks and exploring composition design methods utilizing machine learning can develop composite structures with gradient piezoelectric characteristics. A photopiezoelectric dual-drive catalytic system can be created to achieve a synergistic enhancement in carrier generation and separation via coupling plasmon resonance effects with piezoelectric responses. Interface engineering of two-dimensional materials, such as MXene, can offer new insights for constructing efficient charge transfer channels.

2) In-depth study of catalytic mechanisms: A multi-scale characterization platform is established via integrating in-situ transmission electron microscopy with ultrafast spectroscopy to monitor interfacial charge dynamics induced by piezoelectric potentials in real-time. Dynamic density functional theory (DFT) calculation methods are developed to elucidate the nonlinear coupling mechanisms among stress, potential, and catalytic activity, especially focusing on the formation and conversion pathways of transient intermediate states.

3) Expansion and optimization of practical applications: BaTiO₃-based piezoelectric catalysts in more complex real-world environmental systems, such as industrial wastewater treatment, are implemented to assess their performance and limitations, thereby promoting the industrial application of piezoelectric catalysis technology. In addition, material designs with self-healing capabilities are also explored to enhance long-term stability and recyclability, preventing secondary pollution.