Boosting piezocatalytic efficiency: Thin carbon layer-modified ZnO for superior rhodamine B degradation

This study aims to enhance the piezocatalytic activity of ZnO by modifying it with a thin carbon layer (TCL). The composite catalysts were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. The tightly adhered TCL served as an effective electron transfer medium, enabling the rapid migration of piezoinduced charge carriers from the ZnO to the catalyst surface, thereby facilitating the catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The optimized TCL/ZnO sample exhibits an RhB degradation rate 13.4 times higher than that of pure ZnO. This work demonstrates that TCL/ZnO has significant potential in piezocatalytic water purification and offers new insights into the design of efficient piezocatalytic materials.