Surface nanoparticle-reinforced 3D squeezable piezocatalytic foam for highly efficient dye degradation

• A simple, cost-effective piezocatalytic foam is developed for dye degradation. • PDA enhances hydrophilicity, boosting ion/molecule exchange and reaction rates. • BTO increases piezoelectric output by 121 % and dye degradation efficiency by 21 %. The application of piezoelectric composite in electrocatalytic dye degradation is recognized as a viable approach for environmental pollution mitigation. However, further research is needed to improve the efficiency of dye degradation and minimize secondary pollution. Herein, a piezoelectric foam with enhanced catalytic performance was designed and fabricated by incorporating inorganic piezoelectric ceramic nanoparticles (BTO) into polydimethylsiloxane and further modified with polydopamine (PDA), facilitating the subsequent surface coating of BTO. Compared to unmodified piezoelectric foam, the surface-modified composite demonstrated a 121% enhancement in piezoelectric output and a 21% increase in catalytic degradation efficiency, facilitating continuous and stable dye degradation. Further experimental studies and finite element simulation analyses demonstrated that the enhancement of degradation properties could be attributed to the improvement of surface hydrophilicity caused by PDA, which facilitated chemical reactions and accelerated the exchange rates of ions and molecules. Additionally, the surface-stabilized BTO increased the proportion of piezoelectric components, and further contributed to the formation of heterostructures with PDA, thereby amplifying the piezoelectric output. The study introduced a straightforward and cost-effective design aimed at boosting the catalytic efficiency of piezocatalytic foam, which can be readily extended to optimize other composite-based catalytic strategies, providing a practical solution for alleviating environmental pollution.