Piezoelectric Materials for Photocatalysis and Electrocatalysis
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalytic Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 36
Special Issue Editors
Interests: photocatalysis; ferroelectric materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: 2D materials; composites; emerging contaminants; photocatalysis; piezocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Piezoelectric materials, characterized by their ability to generate internal electric fields in response to mechanical stimuli, are opening new frontiers in catalytic science. This strain-induced polarization offers a powerful and often untapped tool to manipulate charge carrier dynamics, band structures, and surface energetics in real-time. By harnessing ubiquitous mechanical energy from the environment—such as ultrasound, flow, or even ambient vibration—these materials can significantly enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic processes without solely relying on external electrical bias.
This Special Issue, entitled “Piezoelectric Materials for Photocatalysis and Electrocatalysis”, is dedicated to exploring the latest advancements in leveraging the piezoelectric effect for energy conversion and environmental remediation. We aim to cover the fundamental principles, novel material design, and innovative applications of piezoelectric catalysts. The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Piezocatalysis for the degradation of pollutants and bacterial disinfection.
- Piezo-photocatalysis systems that synergistically couple mechanical and solar energy for water splitting and CO2 reduction.
- Piezo-electrocatalysis where mechanical strain modulates electrochemical reactions like oxygen evolution/reduction (OER/ORR).
- Advanced characterization and theoretical modelling to decipher the mechanisms of strain-induced charge separation and catalytic activation.
- The design of hybrid and composite materials that integrate piezoelectric with semiconducting or metallic phases for enhanced performance.
We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that highlight breakthroughs in this rapidly evolving field. By bringing together research from materials science, chemistry, physics, and engineering, this Special Issue seeks to establish the critical role of piezoelectricity in advancing catalytic technologies and to inspire innovative solutions for sustainable energy and environmental challenges.
Prof. Dr. Qi Zhang
Dr. Hugo Salazar
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- piezoelectric materials
- photocatalysis
- electrocatalysis
- charge separation
- polarization effects
- functional oxides
- water splitting
- CO2 reduction
- environmental remediation
- energy conversion
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