Abstract:
Piezocatalytic water splitting is an emerging approach for generating green hydrogen by using noise. However, while the efficiency of hydrogen production remains limited, barely anything is known about the long-term usability of the piezocatalysts. In this study, we present single-crystalline Sr sub(2)Bi sub(3)Nb sub(2)O sub(11)Br nanoplates with precise facet control and remarkable piezoelectric properties, exhibiting a significantly enhanced piezocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 5.3 mmol/g/h without needing any expensive cocatalyst, such as Pt. Furthermore, we extend the application of these nanoplates to seawater splitting with a commendable rate retention of 4.1 mmol/g/h seawater, mimicking NaCl solution and 3.5 mmol/g/h in real, unprocessed seawater, surpassing the existing piezocatalysts operated using pure water. A key finding in this work is the fatigue-resistant nature of the Sr sub(2)Bi sub(3)Nb sub(2)O sub(11)Br nanoplates originating from the layered structure. These maintain approx. 100 percent activity for over 150 h of continuous operation, while the existing catalysts have not been tested beyond 10-15 h, offering a sustainable approach for renewable hydrogen production.
