Composite Functional Materials

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Strategies on enhancing piezocatalysis performance of ZnO-based catalysts for aquatic pollutants degradation: A review

Donghai Huang, Tengfei Wu, Daoyue Xie, Huinan Che, Yanhui Ao

Composite Functional Materials, 2025, 1(1): 20250104. DOI: 10.63823/20250104

Materials	Model pollutants	Degradation efficiency	External conditions	Pros and cons	Ref.
ZnO/piezoelectric quartz core-shell	IBF (50 mg L^-1)	100% for 40 min	Ultrasound (20 kHz) + metal halide lamp (400 W)	Green synthesis/ many steps	[153]
MoO_x/ZnS/ZnO ternary complex	RhB (10 mg L^-1)	~ 99% for 90 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 120 W)	Good performance/ environmentally unfriendly	[154]
ZnO NR/PVDF-HFP spongy film	MO (5 mg L^-1)	95% for 75 min	Stirring (1000 rpm) + mercury-xenon lamp irradiation.	Easy to recycle/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[158]
Ultrathin ZnO/Al₂O₃	MO (50 mg L^-1)	100% for 15 min	Ultrasound (~40 kHz, 100 W)	Excellent performance/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[160]
ZnO@ZIF-8 core-shell	TC (50 mg L^-1)	91.5% for 40 min	Ultrasound (35 kHz, 180 W)	Good performance/ poor stability	[161]
ZnO@PVDF film	RhB (12 mg L^-1)	~ 97% for 100 min	Stirring + Xe lamp (300 W)	Bi-piezoelectric effect, more (100) polar plane exposure / environmentally unfriendly	[162]
BaTiO₃/ZnO continuous nanofiber	RhB (5 mg L^-1)	98.94% for 90 min	Ultrasound (120 W) + Hg lamp (300 W)	Bi-piezoelectric effect/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[86]
ZnO/MoS₂ nanoarray	MO (10 mg L^-1)	92.7% for 50 min	Stirring + Xe lamp (300 W)	Flowing-induced piezoelectric field/poor stability, many steps	[85]
BaTiO₃//ZnO Janus nanofibers membrane	TC	97.65% for 60 min	Stirring (800 rpm) + Xe lamp (300 W)	Simultaneously removal of multi-pollutants/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[87]
BiOI/ZnO nanorod arrays	BPA (10 mg L^-1)	100% for 30 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 90 W) + Xe lamp (300 W)	Expanded light absorption range, excellent performance/ poor stability, many steps	[84]
ZnO/Cs₂AgBiBr₆ nanorod arrays	RhB (10 mg L^-1)	~ 100% for 12 min	Stirring (500 rpm) + Xe lamp (300 W, equipped with AM 1.5G filter)	Excellent performance /environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[163]
GQDs/ZnO	MO	96.1% for 60 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 150 W)	Excellent carrier separation/ many steps	[92]
Bi₂WO₆/g-C₃N₄/ZnO	RhB (5 mg L^-1)	95.1% for 20 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 80 W)	Expanded the charge transfer path/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[164]
CdS/ZnO	RhB (10 mg L^-1)	98.8% for 90 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 120 W)	Improved charge separation/ toxicity	[165]
ZnO/g-C₃N₄ nanoarrays	MB (10 mg L^-1)	93.70% for 120 min	Stirring (1000 rpm) + Xe lamp (300 W)	Flowing-induced piezoelectric field /many steps	[166]
CuS/ZnO nanowires	MB (5 mg L^-1)	~ 100% for 20 min	Ultrasound (200 W) + Xe lamp (500 W)	Excellent performance, easy to recycle/ many steps	[167]
ZnO/ZnS nanotube	MB (10 mg L^-1)	63.3% for 50 min	Ultrasound (120 W) + Hg-lamp (500 W)	Suppressed carriers recombination /low degradation rate constant	[168]
KNbO₃/ZnO nanocomposite	MO (10 mg L^-1)	~ 100% for 90 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 120 W) + Xe lamp (300 W)	Improved charge separation/ many steps	[169]
g-C₃N₄[U]/ZnO	RhB (10 mg L^-1)	99% for 120 min	Ultrasound (40 kHz, 60 W) + visible light (50 W)	RhB degradation and H₂ production/ many steps	[170]
ZnO/CuS	TC (30 mg L^-1)	85.28% for 60 min	Ultrasound (120 W) + Xe lamp (300 W, λ > 400 nm)	Narrow bandgap/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[171]
ZnO/SnS	Cr(VI) (20 mg L^-1)	98% for 35 min	Ultrasound	Cr(VI) removal/ environmentally unfriendly, many steps	[172]

Table 1. Catalytic performance of different ZnO-based composites toward pollutant degradation.

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Fig. 1. Amount of publications and citations using “piezo*”, “ZnO or zinc oxide”, and “decompos* or remov* or degrad* or eliminat*” as keywords from 2004 to 2024 in Web of Science.
Fig. 2. Different strategies for enhancing the piezocatalytic performance of the ZnO-based catalysts. These inset figures are reproduced from ref. [75] (Copyright 2018, Materials Research Society); ref. [76] (Copyright 2019, Zhang et al.); ref. [77] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier Ltd.); ref. [78] (Copyright 2020, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim); ref. [54] (Copyright 2023, Wiley-VCH GmbH); ref. [79] (Copyright 2020, Elsevier); respectively.
Fig. 3. Timeline for the typical strategies on enhancing piezocatalysis performance of ZnO-based catalysts for aquatic pollutants degradation. These inset figures are reproduced from ref. [80], [81] and [82] (Copyright 2013, 2015 and 2017, Elsevier Ltd.); ref. [83] (Copyright 2017, Elsevier B.V.); ref. [76] (Copyright 2019, Zhang et al.); ref. [84] and [85] (Copyright 2020, Elsevier B.V.); ref. [86] (Copyright 2022, The Royal Society of Chemistry); ref. [87] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier B.V.); ref. [88] and [89] (Copyright 2022 and 2023, Elsevier Ltd.); ref. [90] and [54] (Copyright 2023, Wiley-VCH GmbH); ref. [91] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier B.V.); ref. [92] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier Ltd.); respectively.
Fig. 4. (a-c) Microscopic (FESEM) images of ZnO nanoparticles (in particular nanorods), 1D microwires and multipods-like microparticles. MB degradation at 20 kHz (d) and 858 kHz (e) ultrasound in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-np), 1D microwires (ZnO-mw) and multipods-like microparticles (ZnO-mps) and without ZnO particles. Reproduced from ref. [145] (Copyright 2023, Troia et al.). (f) Piezoelectric potential curve versus particle size in granular nano-ZnO (ZnO NPs) under the fixed pressure of 10⁸ Pa by COMSOL simulation. (g) Piezoelectric potential curve versus length in rod-like nano-ZnO (ZnO NRs) under the fixed diameter of 40 nm and cavitation pressure of 10⁸ Pa by COMSOL simulation. Reproduced from ref. [146] (Copyright 2020, Elsevier Inc.). DCF conversion degree using ZnO1, i.e. ZnO nanorods (h) and ZnO2, i.e. star-shaped clusters (i) under ultrasound (US), ultraviolet light (UV) and both of them (UV-US). Reproduced from ref. [147] (Copyright 2021, Meroni et al.).
Fig. 5. (a-g) Schematic illustration of the two-step fabrication process of the vertically aligned ZnO NW array on a polymer matrix. (h) Picture of the as-prepared ZP film (1 × 1 in.²). Scale bar: 1 in. (i) Degradation curves of the MB dye in the presence of an ultrasonic field and UV light irradiation. (j) Schematic diagram of the piezo-photocatalytic mechanism. Reproduced from ref. [76] (Copyright 2019, Zhang et al.).
Fig. 6. (a) SEM image and (b) HRTEM image of the GZn/PQz composite. (c) The oxidation of IBF by piezoelectric catalysis with different doses of GZn/PQz catalyst. (d) General mechanism of IBF oxidation over GZn/PQz as piezoelectric catalyst, photocatalyst, and piezo-photocatalyst. Reproduced from ref. [153] (Copyright 2021, Elsevier B.V.)
Fig. 7. (a) Piezo-photocatalytic mechanism of 2% BTO//ZO JNM under stir + light irradiation. Reproduced from ref. [87] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier B.V.). (b) mechanism schematic of RhB degradation through piezo-photocatalysis of BNT-1%ZnO. Reproduced from ref. [77] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier Ltd.). (c) Formation of p-n heterojunction between BiOI and ZnO, and probable separation process of charge carriers in the BiOI/ZnO nanorods under light and ultrasonic vibration. Reproduced from ref. [84] (Copyright 2020, Elsevier B.V.).
Fig. 8. (a) Schematic illustration of lattice structure of ZnO/MoS₂ heterojunction. (b) MO degradation efficiencies under different conditions. Energy band diagrams of ZnO/MoS₂ without stirring (c) and under stirring (e). The migration of photogenerated charge carries and production of reactive oxygen species under sole sunlight irradiation (d) and stirring-sunlight irradiation (f). Reproduced from ref. [85] (Copyright 2020, Elsevier B.V.).
Fig. 9. (a) Illustration of the synthesis process of the ZnO/Cs₂AgBiBr₆ nanorod array. (b) Degradation efficiencies of RhB using ZC0.5 under different situations (visible light, simulated sunlight, visible light with stirring, simulated sunlight with stirring) and (c) corresponding calculated k values. (d) Proposed mechanism of piezoelectric field and photosource-modulated photocatalysis of ZnO/Cs₂AgBiBr₆ S-scheme heterojunction, (i, ii) ZnO under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) and (iii, iv) ZnO under simulated sunlight irradiation in ZnO/Cs₂AgBiBr₆ S-scheme heterojunction under opposite piezoelectric field directions. Reproduced from ref. [163] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier Ltd.).
Fig. 10. (a, b) TEM images of C-ZnO nanorods. (c) Element mapping images of C-ZnO nanorods. (d) The results of piezoelectric potential distribution in ZnO and C-ZnO simulated by the finite element method. (e) The degradation of BPA over C-ZnO. Reproduced from ref. [90] (Copyright 2023, Wiley-VCH GmbH). (f) Mechanism of TC degradation with ZnO/CQDs/PVDF pipe piezoelectric catalytic system. Reproduced from ref. [88] (Copyright 2022, Elsevier Ltd.).
Fig. 11. (a) Schematic of the fabrication process of the asymmetric Au-ZnO and the symmetric Au-ZnO nanorod array. (b) Piezo-photocatalytic degradation of RhB with different catalysts, and control sample without catalysts. (c) Summarized histogram of the RhB degradation under different conditions for 75 min. (d) Mechanism of the enhanced catalytic activity induced by piezotronic effect and unique asymmetric nanostructure under light illumination and ultrasound stimulation (, Schottky Barrier; and, the conduction band energy and valence band energy of ZnO, respectively;, energy of the Fermi level). Reproduced from ref. [78] (Copyright 2020, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim).
Fig. 12. Mechanism of the enhanced catalytic performance via piezo-phototronic effect and the unique structure under ultrasonic wave and light irradiation (C_B and V_B, the conduction band and valence band of ZnO, respectively; E_F, energy of the Fermi level). (a) AZA under light irradiation. (b) AZA under concurrent ultrasonic wave and light irradiation. (c) AZP under light irradiation. (d) and (e) AZP under concurrent ultrasonic wave and light irradiation. AZA, Au/ZnO/Au; AZP, Au/ZnO/Pt. Reproduced from ref. [185] (Copyright 2022, Elsevier Ltd.).
Fig. 13. (a, b) SEM images of TB-ZnO. (c) Degradation efficiencies of IBP in different catalytic systems. (d) IBP degradation mechanism with the TB-ZnO/piezo/PMS system. Reproduced from ref. [91] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier B.V.).
Fig. 14. (a) XRD patterns of undoped ZnO, 3%-Cl-ZnO, 5%-Cl-ZnO, 10%-Cl-ZnO and (b) an magnifying view of the ZnO (100) peak. The amplitude butterfly loop for (c) ZnO and (d) 10%-Cl-ZnO coated onto an indium tin oxide under ±10 V DC bias field along radial direction. (e) Schematic diagram for the catalytic mechanism of the ZnO and Cl-ZnO under different external conditions. Reproduced from ref. [79] (Copyright 2020, Elsevier).
Fig. 15. (a) degradation curves of LVX under different conditions. (b) Transient piezoelectric current properties of ZnO and Co-ZnO with different systems. (c) Schematic diagram of piezo-promoted PS activation. Reproduced from ref. [89] (Copyright 2023, Elsevier Ltd.).
Fig. 16. (a) Profiles of free energy for catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde onto ZnO (100) surfaces. (b) The computed transitional states and intermediate state structures for catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde onto -12% ZnO (100) surface. Reproduced from ref. [214] (Copyright 2024, Elsevier B.V.). Where -12% indicates the degree of compressive strain. (c) The charge density difference of the O₂ molecule on cobalt-loaded ZnO with varying oxygen vacancy concentrations (the isosurface is adjusted to 0.0005 eV; the blue electronic cloud indicates electron gain and the yellow electronic cloud indicates electron loss). Reproduced from ref. [215] (Copyright 2024, Ran et al.). (d) H₂O adsorption energy on ZnO sites of Au-ZnO model. (e) O₂ adsorption energy on Au sites of Au-ZnO model. Reproduced from ref. [216] (Copyright 2024, Elsevier Ltd.).
Fig. 17. In situ DRIFTS of Cu/ZnO in (a) H₂/MeOH/H₂O, Ar, and N₂O atmospheres, (b) H₂/EtOH/H₂O, Ar, and N₂O atmospheres, (c) H₂/PrOH/H₂O, Ar, and N₂O atmospheres. Reproduced from ref. [226] (Copyright 2023, Wiley-VCH GmbH). (d) Normalized XANES spectra and (e) Fourier transforms of EXAFS spectra of 1ZnO/Cu(OH)₂(“1” denotes the number of ZnO atomic layer deposition cycles) during CO₂ hydrogenation under a pressure of 0.8 MPa at different temperatures. (f)First derivative of the Zn K edge spectra of the 1ZnO/Cu(OH)₂ inverse catalyst during CO₂ hydrogenation at different temperatures. Reproduced from ref. [227] (Copyright 2022, Wiley-VCH GmbH). (g) In situ DRIFTS spectra for photocatalytic conversion of CH₄ over ZnO-AuPd_2.7%. (h) In situ EPR signals of ZnO-AuPd_2.7% collected under different environments. Reproduced from ref. [228] (Copyright 2020, American Chemical Society).
Fig. 18. Challenges and prospects of ZnO-based piezoelectric materials.

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