Strong tribo-catalysis of zinc oxide nanorods via triboelectrically-harvesting friction energy

Abstract Friction energy is well-known common clean energy and can be harvested via triboelectricity. In this study, hydrothermally synthesized zinc oxide nanorods exhibit excellent tribo-catalytic dye decomposition performance via harvesting friction energy, which is obtained by stirring. After 60 h of stirring, tribo-catalytic dye decomposition ratio is as high as ∼99.8%. Strong tribo-catalytic performance can be ascribed to the triboelectric effect, which originates from the friction between zinc oxide nanorods and stirring rods. Intermediate active species hydroxyl radicals are further observed via fluorescence method, in which the number of hydroxyl radicals continuously increases with increasing stirring time. Besides, zinc oxide nanorods also exhibit good recycling utilization property after three consecutive catalytic experiments. Strong tribo-catalytic performance and good recycling utilization property of zinc oxide nanorods make it potential in utilizing friction energy in our environment to achieve dye wastewater purification in near future.