Piezoelectric effect in Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3−xZnO ceramics for water treatment

Abstract

The present study investigates the piezocatalytic performance of Zn-doped Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT–xZn

x = 0, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in wastewater. The highest dye degradation efficiency of 90% was achieved with NBT–0.01Zn after 120 min. The effects of dye concentration (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 mg/L), catalyst dosage (0.5, 1, and 2 g/L), poling, and different extraction times to simulate practical operating conditions were also investigated. Radical-trapping experiments, including scavenger and fluorescence tests, were performed to confirm the generation of reactive species during the degradation process. These results demonstrate that NBT–0.01Zn is an optimized lead-free piezocatalyst with high piezoelectric efficiency, excellent operational stability, and good repeatability, making it a promising candidate for sustainable wastewater treatment applications. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Indian Academy of Sciences 2026.