Antibacterial and electrical performance of triboelectric nanogenerators based on polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride in high humidity environments

Abstract

A humidity-resistant, antibacterial triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) was developed using polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) as the primary functional material. To enhance performance stability, PHMG was integrated with natural chitosan (CS) to create a positively charged triboelectric electrode. When combined with a negatively charged fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) membrane, the TENG demonstrated outstanding electrical output, achieving a maximum peak-to-peak voltage (V_p–p) of 1470.6 V and a peak power (P_peak) of 12 mW at a 10 MΩ load under 40% relative humidity. Notably, the device maintained stable operation in high-humidity conditions (up to 90% HR), with a sustained V_p–p of 862.7 V and a P_peak of 6.5 mW. In addition to its energy-harvesting capability, the TENG exhibited strong antibacterial activity as it effectively eliminated E. coli (at a concentration of 1.7 × 10⁴) and S. aureus (at a concentration of 1.6 × 10⁴) bacteria within just 60 seconds at 90% relative humidity. This combination of reliable triboelectric generation in humid environments and rapid antibacterial activity indicates the potential of this TENG for self-powered applications in wearable electronics and hygienic surfaces, including smart face masks and antibacterial shoe insoles.