Microbial Disinfection with Supercoiling Capacitive Triboelectric Nanogenerator

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.