From Energy Harvesting to Catalysis: Contact Electrification-Driven Chemical Transformations

Abstract

Contact electrification (CE) is a ubiquitous interfacial phenomenon that provides a fundamental pathway for converting mechanical interactions into electrical charges. Building on this effect, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) harvest ambient mechanical energy to power catalytic reactions, bridging mechanical energy harvesting with sustainable chemical conversion. This review systematically summarizes the electron-transfer mechanisms and theoretical models of CE, followed by the operating modes and performance optimization strategies of TENGs. The TENG-driven catalytic system is then introduced, with emphasis on the coupling of TENG output with catalytic reactions. Beyond this indirect energy-conversion pathway, contact-electro-catalysis (CEC), which directly utilizes contact-induced interfacial charges to drive chemical reactions, is comprehensively discussed in terms of its fundamental mechanisms, material design, mechanical energy input modes, and applications. Accordingly, the key challenges associated with catalytic efficiency, stability, selectivity, and mechanistic understanding in both TENG-powered catalysis and CEC are critically discussed. Finally, future research directions are proposed, including rational material and interface design, multi-physics coupling, and theoretical modeling to regulate charge generation, transfer, and utilization during catalytic processes.

Abstract as supplied by the indexing source. © the authors / publisher.