Microbial Disinfection with Supercoiling Capacitive Triboelectric Nanogenerator
Zheng‐Yang Huo, Dong‐Min Lee, Jang‐Mook Jeong, Young‐Jun Kim, Jihye Kim, In‐Yong Suh, Peixun Xiong, Sang‐Woo Kim
Abstract
Abstract Water‐borne diseases resulting from pathogen infection are especially challenges in areas with inadequate sanitation and power supply. Here a novel disinfection system is developed for bacterial and viral inactivation in water using a self‐powered supercoiling‐mediated rotational triboelectric nanogenerator (S‐TENG) as a power source to drive a new oxidation‐assisted electroporation mechanism. Owing to its rational design, the S‐TENG achieves an ultrafast rotation ( ≈ 7500 rpm), therefore it enables a simultaneous nanowire‐enhanced localized electric field and generation of oxidative species resulting in high disinfection performance: > 99.9999% microbial inactivation at a high flux of 15 000 L h ‐1 m ‐2 . An integrated S‐TENG‐powered disinfection prototype using an enlarged electrode (area of 50 cm 2 ) achieves complete disinfection when the gravity‐driven natural water flows through the whole system at a high rate (1 L min ‐1 ). This rapid, self‐powered water disinfection method is a potential solution for urgent water disinfection needs during disasters and pandemics, and water disinfection in areas with inadequate power supply.