Sonocatalysis and sono-photocatalysis in CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics

CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 (CCTO) ceramic with piezoelectric–like behavior and possessing a bandgap of 2.12 eV is an excellent candidate for multi-modal catalytic treatment of common environmental pollutants. In this regard, this study reports the synthesis, characterization, and testing of CCTO for removal of dissolved impurities through photocatalysis, sonocatalysis, and sono-photocatalysis. Catalytic activity was tested through monitoring time-dependent degradation of aqueous dyes. Results indicate that CCTO has potential as both a visible light photocatalyst (39% removal; 240 min) and a sonocatalyst (47% removal; 240 min). Furthermore, its performance can also be improved significantly via sono-photocatalysis reaching an overall degradation of 76%. These observations suggest new avenues for exploring multi-modal catalyst materials for environmental remediation.