Effective anti-biofouling enabled by surface electric disturbance from water wave-driven nanogenerator.

Biofouling has been a long-last problem in a variety of marine systems which causes energy waste and device damage. In this study, we present a self-activated anti-biofouling system enabled by electrical double layer disturbance, which could effectively suppress the initial formation of conditioning layers and subsequent microbe attachment. The small and low-frequency alternating electrical fields were produced by a triboelectric nanogenerator under water wave impacts. Systematic analyses confirmed that the anti-biofouling efficacy was directly related to the strength of the electric field and was effective in both fresh lake and sea water environments. An on-site demonstration was implemented at a calm lake shore for three weeks. The water wave-driven anti-biofouling exhibited excellent surface protection, which was significantly superior to several commercial anti-biofouling coatings. This development brings a novel, effective and eco-friendly solution for protecting a broad range of surfaces against biofouling.