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Designing new catalysts that can efficiently utilize multiple energy sources can contribute to solving the current challenges of environmental remediation and increasing energy demands. In this work, we fabricated single-crystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) nanosheets and nanowires that can successfully harness visible light and mechanical vibrations and utilize them for degradation of organic pollutants. Under visible light both BFO nanostructures displayed a relatively slow reaction rate. However, under piezocatalysis both nanosheets and nanowires exhibited higher reaction rates in comparison with photocatalytic degradation. When both solar light and mechanical vibrations were used simultaneously, the reaction rates were elevated even further, with the BFO nanowires degrading 97% of RhB dye within 1 hr (k-value 0.058 min−1). The enhanced degradation under mechanical vibrations can be attributed to the promotion of charge separation caused by the internal piezoelectric field of BFO. BFO nanowires also exhibited good reusability and versatility toward degrading four different organic pollutants. ISSN:2589-0042

In this work, we have developed 3D hybrid microstructures consisting of a short ferromagnetic CoNi segment for wireless magnetic control, coupled to a photocatalytic Bi2O3/BiOCl segment for water remediation under UV-visible light. These hybrid microstructures (pillars and helices) were fabricated using 3D photolithography and template-assisted electrodeposition, followed by in situ creation of a Bi2O3/BiOCl heterojunction after oxidation of Bi. This heterojunction is not only active under a wider solar spectrum but also ensures sufficient charge separation and hence low electron–hole recombination rate. As a result, these hybrid microstructures were able to degrade rhodamine B dye with a 90% efficiency in 6 hours. On application of magnetic fields we were able to precisely control the structures and collect them for reuse. Cytotoxicity tests were performed on our hybrid structures and a 95% cell viability was reported showing that our structures are biocompatible., Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 3 (47), ISSN:2050-7488, ISSN:2050-7496