Low-frequency mechanical energy in the environment for energy production and piezocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in water: A review

TL;DR: This review explores the application of piezocatalysis to harness low-frequency mechanical energy from the environment for energy production and organic pollutant degradation in water, leveraging its sustainability, wide distribution, and high renewability.

Abstract: Piezocatalysis can effectively use mechanical energy (water flow, noise, vibration, etc.) in the environment to achieve the degradation of organic pollutants, has the advantages of independent light energy, can be carried out anytime and anywhere, and has great potential for large-scale applications. Therefore, the piezoelectric effect, the main types of piezoelectric materials and the two basic principles of piezocatalysis are introduced in this review. Then, the driving force of piezocatalysis is summarized, and the advantages, research status and development direction of hydromechanical energy in piezocatalysis are introduced. Low-frequency mechanical energy in the environment, such as wind, tide and river flow, has the advantages of strong sustainability, wide distribution and high renewability. These characteristics make low-frequency mechanical energy a sustainable form of energy, which has been deeply studied in recent years in the fields of piezoelectric nanogenerators, sensors and wastewater treatment. Therefore, given the above advantages of low-frequency mechanical energy, this review summarizes the application of piezoelectric materials in energy production and the research progress of hydromechanical energy in wastewater treatment, which provides theoretical and methodological guidance for more efficient use of environmental low-frequency mechanical energy in the future.