Ferroelectric-Driven Charge Separation and Cobalt-Induced Defect Engineering in BaTiO₃/Co–ZnO Heterostructures for Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2651.022Keywords:
BaTiO₃/Co–ZnO heterostructure, Visible-light photocatalysis, Ferroelectric polarization, Defect engineering, Dye degradation, Charge separationAbstract
The development of efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts remains critical for sustainable environmental remediation. In this study, a BaTiO₃/Co–ZnO heterostructure (S3) was investigated for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes under visible-light irradiation. Structural analysis based on simulated X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the successful formation of a composite system comprising perovskite BaTiO₃ and hexagonal Co–ZnO phases. Optical characterization using the Tauc method revealed a reduced bandgap of approximately 2.65 eV, indicating enhanced visible-light absorption compared to pristine ZnO. The photocatalytic performance of the S3 heterostructure was evaluated using crystal violet (CV), methylene blue (MB), and rhodamine B (RhB) as model pollutants. UV–Vis absorption spectra showed a progressive decrease in the characteristic absorption peaks, confirming efficient degradation. After 75 min of irradiation, degradation efficiencies of 99% (CV), 98% (MB), and 99% (RhB) were achieved, outperforming many previously reported ZnO-based photocatalysts. The degradation process followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with rate constants of 0.01775 min⁻¹ (CV), 0.02047 min⁻¹ (MB), and 0.01992 min⁻¹ (RhB) and strong correlation coefficients (R² = 0.927–0.983). The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the synergistic effects of ferroelectric polarization from BaTiO₃ and cobalt-induced defect states in ZnO, which facilitate efficient charge separation, suppress electron–hole recombination, and improve interfacial charge transfer. The internal polarization field promotes directional carrier migration, while defect states extend light absorption into the visible region. Reactive oxygen species, including superoxide (O₂•⁻) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH), play a dominant role in the degradation process. Overall, the BaTiO₃/Co–ZnO heterostructure demonstrates a highly efficient and robust photocatalytic system, highlighting the effectiveness of combining ferroelectric materials with defect-engineered semiconductors as a promising strategy for advanced environmental remediation.
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