Sustainable Internal Electric Field for Enhanced Photocatalysis: From Material Design to Energy Utilization

The intrinsic internal electric field in a ferroelectric photocatalyst is beneficial for improving the photocatalytic properties because of its positive effect on the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers. However, this kind of internal electric field is static and easily saturated by inner and outer shielding effects, seriously restricting its potential in photocatalysis. To overcome this problem, a sustainable internal electric field was introduced into photocatalysis based on piezoelectric and pyroelectric effect, which exhibits good capability in consistently boosting photocatalytic activity, thus becoming a hot research topic. In this Perspective we summarize the recent significant progress in the construction of sustainable internal electric fields for facilitating photocatalysis from material design to energy utilization. Moreover, the fascinating influence of sustainable internal electric fields on carrier behavior is also discussed. Finally, a summary and outlook for building a sustainable internal electric field to further enhance photocatalytic performance are provided.