Enhanced photocatalytic performance of heterogeneous hydrotalcite by spontaneously polarized ferroelectric

Two-dimensional photocatalytic materials have attracted great attention due to their large specific surface area and abundant active sites. Suppressing the recombination of photo-excited carriers is an effective approach to improve the performances of photocatalytic materials. Herein, we introduced ferroelectric PbTiO₃ into the two-dimensional layered double hydroxides (LDHs) to improve the carrier separation efficiency and photocatalytic performances. A built-in electric field was generated in the polarized PbTiO₃, resulting in the improvement of the carrier separation efficiency and the promotion of the lifetime of photo-excited carriers in the LDHs-PbTiO₃ composites. As a result, the LDHs-PbTiO₃ composites showed the decent photocatalytic performances towards water splitting under visible light irradiation. The oxygen production rate of the proposed LDHs-PbTiO₃ composites was almost twice than that of pristine LDHs. These results have addressed the significance of photo-excited carriers in photocatalytic materials. This approach could undoubtedly provide the valuable information in design and construction of high efficiency photocatalysts.