Fluid-powered rotation-contact separation hybrid triboelectric nanogenerator for heavy metal ion removal and corrosion protection

Abstract

Herein, we proposed a rotation-contact separation hybrid mode triboelectric nanogenerator (RCS-TENG) for harvesting energy from fluid, which achieved heavy metal ion removal and corrosion protection. The Ecoflex/ZnS film was constructed as a friction layer to achieve optimal power output for the RCS-TENG, with a peak output voltage of 702 V. The high energy density output of the RCS-TENG was achieved by using the rotation mode and multi-electrode grating structure. An energy management module (EMM) was designed to ensure stable output voltage and reduce ripple to 0.01 V. The combination of RCS-TENG and EMM can provide stable energy for the heavy metal ion removal and corrosion protection platforms. The removal of heavy metal ions, such as Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cd²⁺, can be achieved through electrodeposition, which is driven by the RCS-TENG. Furthermore, the combination of RCS-TENG and EMM can effectively reduce the corrosion of Q235 carbon steel. This self-powered corrosion protection system continuously supplies electrons to the metal, making it less likely to lose electrons and oxidize, thereby effectively reducing the corrosion of the metal. This work provides an innovative approach for the fluid energy harvesting of triboelectric nanogenerators and demonstrates the feasibility of this work in the removal of heavy metal ions and corrosion protection.