Significantly enhanced piezo-catalytic performance of BaTiO3 nanorods via La-ion doping

Highly oriented La-doped BaTiO 3 nanorods (BT-La NRs 1 ) were fabricated using a green and facile two-step hydrothermal synthesis approach. The piezocatalytic activity of BT-0.03La NRs was evaluated under ultrasonic conditions using rhodamine B (Rh B) as the model pollutant. BT-0.03La NRs demonstrated superior piezocatalytic activity, reaching a 99.19 % degradation efficiency for 5 mg/L Rh B within 40 min, approximately twice that of pure BT. Moreover, BT-0.03La NRs also demonstrated a universal piezocatalytic degradation capability toward various dye pollutants. The dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS), specifically superoxide radicals (·O 2 − ) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH), were identified through free radical scavenging experiments. The results indicated that BT-La NRs exhibited a high aspect ratio, a large specific surface area, and greater deformability under external mechanical force. Furthermore, 3 % La doping introduced oxygen vacancies (OVs), resulting in lattice distortion and improved piezocatalytic performance. This study is the first to employ a strategy combining morphology-control and ion-doping engineering to modify BT, thereby significantly enhancing its piezoelectric properties. This could provide a novel strategy for the future application of catalyst modification in wastewater remediation.