Trace BaTiO3:Er3+ with ultrasensitive piezocatalysis

Piezocatalysis has emerged as a green and efficient technology to address widespread environmental challenges and public health concerns. However, scalable fabrication of high-performance, cost-effective piezocatalysts remains challenging. Herein, we propose a facile strategy utilizing rare-earth element doping to significantly enhance the piezocatalytic performance of BaTiO 3 ceramic powder synthesized via solid-state sintering. The Er-doped BaTiO 3 demonstrates exceptional RhB dye degradation with a rate constant of 257 × 10 −3 min −1 , representing a 4.9-fold improvement over pristine BaTiO 3 and surpassing reported lead-free perovskite piezocatalysts. Remarkably, even at ultralow piezocatalyst loading (2.5 mg 1 mol% Er-BaTiO 3 in 5 mg/L RhB), the system maintains a high reaction rate constant of 241 × 10 −3 min −1 . This performance enhancement originates from Er 3+ -induced polarization intensification, oxygen vacancy proliferation, and charge carrier density elevation. Our work establishes an effective strategy for developing high-efficiency piezocatalytic materials with promising applications in wastewater remediation.