Maple leaf-directed non-centrosymmetric Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ for boosted pyroelectric degradation of xanthate

Pyroelectric catalytic degradation of xanthate offers an efficient solution for mineral wastewater treatment. Herein, a maple leaf bio-template strategy is employed to synthesize non-centrosymmetric ML-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂. SHG analysis verified the successful breakage of centrosymmetry, while ELF calculations elucidated the mechanism of asymmetric electron localization. Dipole moment analysis confirmed the substantial redistribution of polarization intensity in the bio-templated structure compared to its pristine counterpart. COMSOL simulations demonstrated that this structural distortion effectively generates a transient thermoelectric potential under temperature fluctuations. Leveraging this enhanced pyroelectric polarization, ML-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ achieves remarkable xanthate degradation efficiency, highlighting its potential for environmental remediation.