Piezo-photocatalysis over high-nuclearity titanium-oxide cluster via lead heterocoordination enhances activity by piezoelectric effect
Linping Liu, Guanyun Zhang, Jiachen Ma, Dexin Wang, Juan Wang, Lixia Xuan, Junshuo Nie, Guo Wang, Yifeng Wang
Abstract
Piezoelectric materials usually exist in solid-state forms with obscure structures, hindering atomic-level understanding of structure-property relationships. Here, we report the piezoelectric high-nuclearity titanium-oxide molecular cluster, Ti 26 Pb 10 , constructed via a dopant metal coordination strategy. The cluster framework comprises 26 Ti atoms linked by binuclear units, with 10 Pb 2+ ions anchored through distinct coordination: 2 embedded and 8 surface exposed. Ti 26 Pb 10 displays a piezoelectric constant 5.5 times higher than PbTiO 3 , as confirmed by piezoresponse force microscopy. Density functional theory simulations reveal stress-induced lattice distortion and bandgap shifts. Critically, leveraging piezo-photocatalytic synergy, Ti 26 Pb 10 enables ultraefficient tetracycline degradation, achieving a rate 15 times faster than PbTiO 3 under combined light and ultrasound, with a superior synergy factor. Mechanistic studies indicate that local electric fields coupled with light excitation promote 1 O 2 generation. This work extends titanium-oxide clusters into piezo-photocatalysis and provides a rational design paradigm for multifield synergistic catalysis and atomic-level structure-activity insights.