Leakage Current Dominated Piezocatalysis by Na(AlSi ₂ O ₆ )H ₂ O Nanobelts: Highly Efficient U(VI) Solidification and N ₂ Conversion

ABSTRACT Piezocatalysis has garnered unprecedented research enthusiasm for applications in energy and environmental fields, as it can harvest the tiny vibration energy from the natural environment and convert it into electrical energy to drive catalytic reactions. However, the fundamental principles underlying this strategy remain a subject of controversy. Herein, a leakage current‐based mechanism is first proposed and employed to elucidate piezocatalysis. It is demonstrated that the cyclic ultrasonic vibration induces an asymmetric cyclic internal electric field, which drives the directional migration of free electrons (i.e., leakage current) and thus facilitates the occurrence of piezocatalysis. As an example, Na(AlSi 2 O 6 )H 2 O (NASO) nanobelts are fabricated from perlite powder and utilized for highly efficient and low‐cost piezocatalytic extraction of uranium (U[VI]) from seawater and the direct conversion of air to nitrate. The extraction of U(VI) is ascribed to the formation of UO 4 ·2H 2 O by combining UO 2 2+ and H 2 O 2 , and the extraction efficiency is up to 96.97%. Moreover, nitrate is successfully produced from air, and the yield reaches 3.85 mg g −1 h −1 . This work offers new insights into the catalytic process, holds substantial application potential for addressing energy and environmental challenges, and sheds important light on the rational design and optimization of piezocatalysts.