Tribocatalytic activity in lithium borate-bismuth tungstate nanocrystal glass-ceramics

Abstract

The harnessing and utilization of mechanical energy through frictional route have emerged as a promising avenue for advancing clean energy initiatives. Triboelectric charges are generated on the surface of two different materials during friction. These charges are similar to photocatalytic charges and can be utilized for dye degradation by a process called tribocatalysis. In this study, it was found that lithium borate bismuth tungstate (0.7Li2B4O7−0.3Bi2WO6) nanocrystal glass-ceramics synthesized by melt-quench technique exhibit excellent tribocatalytic dye degradation performance by harvesting friction energy. X-ray diffraction technique, Raman Spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was performed to examine the structure, phase, and microstructure of the prepared samples. The maximum tribocatalytic decomposition of Methylene Blue (MB) dye observed was 56 % for as-quenched sample (AQ) and 74 % for heat-treated sample (HT) after 10 h of mechanical stirring at 700 rpm and for Rhodamine B (RhB) dye the degradation achieved was 34 % and 64 % in 8 h for AQ and HT respectively. Due to their superior dye decomposition capabilities, glass-ceramic crystals hold significant promise for harnessing mechanical energy through friction in wastewater treatment processes.