Enhanced piezocatalytic activity of Li-doped (K, Na)NbO3 microrods for dye degradation
摘要
This study explores the synthesis of Li-doped (K, Na)NbO3 (LKNN) microrods via the molten salt method and its piezocatalytic activity. Structural, morphological, and band structure analyses revealed that Li doping enhances charge separation efficiency and improves piezocatalytic activity. LKNN16 microrods with the largest length–diameter ratio of 32.25 exhibited a high degradation rate constant of 37.46 × 10–3 min−1, which is 2.4 times higher than that of undoped KNN. Degradation of various organic dyes confirmed the selectivity of LKNN, with a degradation rate of up to 99% for RhB dye and 72% and 19% for MO and MeBe, respectively. Besides, LKNN catalyst has high structural stability and can be recycled for reuse. On the basis of the piezoelectric results, a possible catalytic mechanism has been proposed considering the separation of piezo-induced charges and the formation of highly active radicals. These findings highlight the potential of LKNN for efficient piezocatalytic applications in wastewater treatment.