Abstract

Air-transmitted pathogens may cause severe epidemics showing huge threats to public health. Microbial inactivation in the air is essential, whereas the feasibility of existing air disinfection technologies meets challenges including only achieving physical separation but no inactivation, obvious pressure drops, and energy intensiveness. Here we report a rapid disinfection method toward air-transmitted bacteria and viruses using the nanowire-enhanced localized electric field to damage the outer structures of microbes. This air disinfection system is driven by a triboelectric nanogenerator that converts mechanical vibration to electricity effectively and achieves self-powered. Assisted by a rational design for the accelerated charging and trapping of microbes, this air disinfection system promotes microbial transport and achieves high performance: >99.99% microbial inactivation within 0.025 s in a fast airflow (2 m/s) while only causing low pressure drops (<24 Pa). This rapid, self-powered air disinfection method may fill the urgent need for air-transmitted microbial inactivation to protect public health.

Air-transmitted pathogens are a recognized threat to public health. Here, the authors develop a self-powered, rapid disinfection method toward air-transmitted microbes using the localized electric field to damage the outer structures of microbes driven by a triboelectric nanogenerator.

Details

Title
Triboelectrification induced self-powered microbial disinfection using nanowire-enhanced localized electric field
Author
Zheng-Yang, Huo 1 ; Young-Jun, Kim 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Suh In-Yong 1 ; Dong-Min, Lee 1 ; Lee, Jeong Hwan 1 ; Du, Ye 2 ; Wang, Si 3 ; Hong-Joon, Yoon 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sang-Woo, Kim 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Suwon, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.264381.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 2181 989X) 
 Sichuan University, College of Architecture and Environment, Chengdu, PR China (GRID:grid.13291.38) (ISNI:0000 0001 0807 1581) 
 Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Suwon, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.264381.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 2181 989X); University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, Chengdu, PR China (GRID:grid.54549.39) (ISNI:0000 0004 0369 4060) 
 Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Suwon, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.264381.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 2181 989X); Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Suwon, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.264381.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 2181 989X); Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Suwon, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.264381.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 2181 989X) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2542128355
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.