Research progress on triboelectric nanogenerators in antibacterial applications

To prevent the infection and spread of pathogenic microorganisms and protect human health, antibacterial technology has attracted growing attention from academia and society. Meanwhile, the development of new antibacterial agents, antibacterial materials, and associated technologies is increasingly becoming a major research focus for scientists. As an emerging energy conversion technology, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can harvest mechanical energy from the environment and convert it into electrical energy. Furthermore, it can high effectively kill bacteria through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electroporation effects. In this paper, the working principles and operation modes of TENG and the mechanisms of antibacterial TENG technology were detailly overviewed. Subsequently, the application progress of antibacterial TENGs in air purification, water treatment, and medical fields were well summarized. Furthermore, the future development prospects of antibacterial TENG and its confronted challenges in terms of antibacterial mechanism, antibacterial performance, and practical application were also well discussed.