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.
Highlights
Air-transmitted pathogens may cause severe epidemics showing huge threats to public health
We report a self-powered disinfection system for the rapid disinfection of air-transmitted bacteria and viruses based on a highly efficient nanowire-assisted electroporation mechanism powered by vibration-driven Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) (V-TENGs) that harvest mechanical vibration energy
We aim to provide a proof-of-concept to confirm the feasibility of RV air disinfection methods in the ventilator of buildings during the normal ventilation process
Summary
Air-transmitted pathogens may cause severe epidemics showing huge threats to public health. We report a rapid disinfection method toward air-transmitted bacteria and viruses using the nanowireenhanced 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 (
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