Ferroelectric Polarization Driven Environmental Catalysis and Beyond

Introduction

Ferroelectric materials are characterized by spontaneous polarization that can be switched under external applied electric field and be responsive to external stimuli. Recently, we have witnessed intensive research activities utilizing ferroelectric materials as heterogeneous catalysts for various types of catalytic conversions. These include hydrogen production, nitrogen reduction, CO₂ conversion, hydrogen peroxide production and reactive oxygen species generation for applications related to energy, environmental, and even biomedical sectors by harvesting energies in the form of mechanical vibrations, waste heat, solar irradiation, etc.

To further deepen and widen this vibrant research area, we invite contributions from researchers across diverse disciplines to elucidate the underlying mechanism of spontaneous polarization-driven catalytic reactions, tackle the existing challenges, standardize the experimental characterization techniques, expand the application ranges, and propose future development directions.

The topics covered but not limited to

• Piezo-catalysis
• Pyro-catalysis
• Mechanistic studies of piezo-/pyro-catalysis (source of charge, charge transfer process, active sites, reaction pathway, chemical/electrochemical driving forces, etc.)
• Applications of piezo-/pyro-catalysis (HER, OER, NRR, CO₂RR, H₂O₂ generation, etc.)
• Computational modeling of piezo-/pyro-catalysis (DFT, AIMD, finite element, machine learning, high throughput calculation, etc.)
• Advanced materials synthesis and characterization techniques
• Other emerging or related topics

Important Deadlines

Submission deadline: April 30, 2025

Submission Instructions

For submission to Materials Reports: Energy, please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online. Please select SI: Piezo-/Pyro-catalysis

Guest Editors