Synthesis of Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ decussated nanoplates with enhanced piezocatalytic activity

A variety of nanostructured Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ materials with diverse morphologies were synthesized by a novel hydrothermal method using layered titanate Na₂Ti₃O₇ as a synthetic precursor. Among these materials, decussated nanoplates exhibit superior piezocatalytic activity compared with other piezocatalysts of the perovskite family. The enhanced piezocatalytic activity is attributed to the large piezoelectric potential difference and the short distance between polar surfaces, which may help enhance the driving force of charge transport. The finite element method (FEM) simulation of piezoelectric response in different Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanostructures was performed to illustrate the influence of morphological features on the piezocatalytic performance. The catalytic mechanism of Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ was investigated by the detection and characterization of free radicals and intermediate products with electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This work may push forward the development of piezocatalytic materials, and provide insights into piezocatalysis for environmental applications.