Piezoelectric Film-Based Bacterial Disinfection by Mechanical Agitation

The activation of piezoelectric materials by using mechanical pressure offers a promising approach for both environmental remediation and biomedical therapeutics. Here, we report BaTiO₃ nanorod-embedded polymer film/membrane that can be used for bacterial disinfection via mechanical stress-induced chemical reaction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Incorporating 6 wt % BaTiO₃ nanorods into the polyvinylidene fluoride/poly l-lactic acid matrix led to the maximum enhancement (with a piezoelectric constant of 66 pm/V) of both the piezoelectric properties and the mechanochemical ROS generation. These films are utilized for sono-piezocatalytic disinfection of both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (>80% inactivation) and observed that the piezoelectric properties of films correlate with ROS generation property and antibacterial activity. Further, a piezoelectric reactor is developed for water flow-based treatment of contaminated water by integrating these piezoelectric membranes. Results show that water flow-based mechanical stress can disinfect E. coli, S. aureus, and degrade chemical pollutants. Proposed materials and approaches can be extended for wastewater treatment and related applications.