Enhanced ferro-photocatalytic performance for ANbO<sub>3</sub> (A = Na, K) nanoparticles

Yu Huan; Hengtao Shen; Yuanna Zhu; Min Li; Hangyu Li; Zhenxing Wang; Yanan Hao; Tao Wei; Yu Huan; Hengtao Shen; Yuanna Zhu; Min Li; Hangyu Li; Zhenxing Wang; Yanan Hao; Tao Wei

doi:10.3934/mbe.2019205

Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering

2019, Volume 16, Issue 5: 4122-4134. doi: 10.3934/mbe.2019205

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Enhanced ferro-photocatalytic performance for ANbO₃ (A = Na, K) nanoparticles

1.
School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China
2.
State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications & School of Science Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Beijing 100876, P. R. China

Received: 26 February 2019 Accepted: 27 April 2019 Published: 10 May 2019

In this study, NaNbO₃ with average grain size of ~50 nm and KNbO₃ with average grain size of ~300 nm nanocrystals are prepared by the water-based citrate precursor sol-gel process. However, the KNbO₃ sample exhibits better photocatalytic performance than that of the NaNbO₃ sample by Rh B degradation experiment. By Rietveld refinements and piezoelectric displacement measurements, the KNbO₃ with the space group of Bmm2 is ferroelectric while the NaNbO₃ with the space group of Pbma is antiferroelectric. The polarization-modulated built-in electric fields in the ferroelectric KNbO₃ nanoparticles can efficiently enhance the separation of photo-generated charge carries and thus improve the photocatalytic activity. However, there is no internal electric field in the antiferroelectric grain because of the antiparallel spontaneous polarization in the adjacent unit cell. Therefore, KNbO₃ exhibits better oxidizing ability of organic dyes than NaNbO₃. The ferroelectric KNbO₃ nanoparticles exhibit an optimum photocatalytic performance for a complete degradation of Rh B in 100 min under UV-Vis light irradiation with auxiliary ultrasonic excitation. This study demonstrates that the perovskite-type ferroelectric nanocrystals are potentially to design high-performance catalysts for degradation of contaminant.
- ferroelectric,
- antiferroelectric,
- nanoparticle,
- photocatalysi,
- internal electric field
Citation: Yu Huan, Hengtao Shen, Yuanna Zhu, Min Li, Hangyu Li, Zhenxing Wang, Yanan Hao, Tao Wei. Enhanced ferro-photocatalytic performance for ANbO3 (A = Na, K) nanoparticles[J]. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, 2019, 16(5): 4122-4134. doi: 10.3934/mbe.2019205

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Abstract

In this study, NaNbO₃ with average grain size of ~50 nm and KNbO₃ with average grain size of ~300 nm nanocrystals are prepared by the water-based citrate precursor sol-gel process. However, the KNbO₃ sample exhibits better photocatalytic performance than that of the NaNbO₃ sample by Rh B degradation experiment. By Rietveld refinements and piezoelectric displacement measurements, the KNbO₃ with the space group of Bmm2 is ferroelectric while the NaNbO₃ with the space group of Pbma is antiferroelectric. The polarization-modulated built-in electric fields in the ferroelectric KNbO₃ nanoparticles can efficiently enhance the separation of photo-generated charge carries and thus improve the photocatalytic activity. However, there is no internal electric field in the antiferroelectric grain because of the antiparallel spontaneous polarization in the adjacent unit cell. Therefore, KNbO₃ exhibits better oxidizing ability of organic dyes than NaNbO₃. The ferroelectric KNbO₃ nanoparticles exhibit an optimum photocatalytic performance for a complete degradation of Rh B in 100 min under UV-Vis light irradiation with auxiliary ultrasonic excitation. This study demonstrates that the perovskite-type ferroelectric nanocrystals are potentially to design high-performance catalysts for degradation of contaminant.

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