Flexoelectricity in photocatalysis: Photoflexocatalysis - FlexPho2

Over the last decade, interest in flexoelectricity has increased dramatically, particularly at the nanoscale. Flexoelectricity occurs as a result of inhomogeneous deformation of a nanomaterial. Unlike other phenomena such as piezoelectricity and ferroelectricity, this effect is not limited by the geometry of the system or the crystal order, making it ideal for nanoelectromechanical resonators for harvesting energy from the environment. Recently, the existence of the so-called photoflexoelectric effect has been demonstrated. This discovery is of great importance in the field of energy harvesting, as the measured light amplification was thousands of times greater than the original flexoelectric response. Understanding this effect and creating a way to control it could have groundbreaking implications for energy harvesting and catalysis.This project proposes to study the photoflexoelectric effect in strontium titanate (STO) systems. STO is a well-known flexoelectric material that has also been extensively studied as a photoanode in catalysis. The project benefits from a unique, purpose-built experimental setup that allows direct measurement of the flexoelectric response using submicron vibrations. The aim of the project is to investigate and determine the photoflexoelectric coefficient in STO and barium titanate (BTO) thin films for photoflexoelectric catalysis applications. The project proposes two approaches to achieve the objective: 1) Investigation and modification of the photocurrent generated by solid STO and BTO/STO films after nanoindenter modification. 2) Direct observation of the photoflexoelectric response of STO levers/beams during irradiation and mechanical stimulation. In particular, this research will focus on catalytic performance through model dye decomposition and other photocatalytic experiments. The research planned in this project is of a pioneering nature. The resulting scientific publications may become reference works on the usefulness and potential of the photoflexoelectric effect in catalysis and energy production. This is a topic that will undoubtedly be intensively researched over the next decade.