3D printed triboelectric nanogenerator self-powered electro-Fenton degradation of orange IV and crystal violet system using N-doped biomass carbon catalyst with tunable catalytic activity

Self-powered electro-Fenton (EF) degradation systems based on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology supply one constructive approach for organic pollution degradation in energy-saving and environmental-friendly manners. Herein, a novel self-powered EF degradation system was built via combining 3D printed flexible multilayered triboelectric nanogenerator (PFM-TENG) with the N-doped porous carbon materials as EF cathode catalysts. The PFM-TENG has a simple multilayered structure but high output characteristics that Voc, Isc, Qtr, Pdensity are 450.0 V, 1.9 mA, 2.9 μC, and 5.1 W m−2, respectively. Besides, the as-prepared cathode carbon materials feature a high surface area of 1790.8 m2 g−1, the total doping content of N, O is up to 20.6 at.%. Driven by PFM-TENG, the EF degradation efficiencies of orange Ⅳ and crystal violet are up to 96.0% and 95.4% in 60 min, respectively. It is noteworthy that there is a positive correlation between the content of –C–O–C functional groups and the degradation efficiency through the analysis of the structure-activity relationship of the carbon materials catalysts. This work realizes the high-efficiency degradation of orange IV and crystal violet through the combination of N-doped carbon catalyst design and 3D printed triboelectric nanogenerator, which not only provides ideas for the preparation of N-doped carbon catalytic materials with controllable catalytic activity, but also proposes an innovative scheme for the layout of the future-oriented EF degradation systems and even the other electrochemical systems via self-powered, digital, mass-produced, distributed, and environmental manners. [Display omitted] •N-doped biomass carbon catalysts with tunable catalytic activity are synthesized.•TENG devices with simple structure but high outputs are fabricated by 3D printing.•Orange IV and crystal violet are degraded through the combination of N-doped carbon catalysts and printed TENG.