Pathology

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Reactivity (psychology)

Photocatalysis

Engineering

Dielectric

Catalysis

Natural rubber

Composite material

Aqueous solution

Chemistry

Materials science

Alternative medicine

Degradation (telecommunications)

Methyl orange

Computer science

Contact electrification

Chemical engineering

Optoelectronics

Mechanochemistry

Medicine

Photochemistry

Telecommunications

Triboelectric effect

Nature Communications

Mechanochemistry has been studied for some time, but research on the reactivity of charges exchanged by contact-electrification (CE) during mechanical stimulation remains scarce. Here, we demonstrate that electrons transferred during the CE between pristine dielectric powders and water can be utilized to directly catalyze reactions without the use of conventional catalysts. Specifically, frequent CE at Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) - water interface induces electron-exchanges, thus forming reactive oxygen species for the degradation of an aqueous methyl orange solution. Contact-electro-catalysis, by conjunction of CE, mechanochemistry and catalysis, has been proposed as a general mechanism, which has been demonstrated to be effective for various dielectric materials, such as Teflon, Nylon-6,6 and rubber. This original catalytic principle not only expands the range of catalytic materials, but also enables us to envisage catalytic processes through mechano-induced contact-electrification.

Contact-electro-catalysis for the degradation of organic pollutants using pristine dielectric powders