Piezoelectric nanogenerators with hybrid nanofibers: a dual approach for energy generation and wastewater treatment†

The potential of piezoelectric polymer materials to harness minute-scale kinetic energy has garnered significant scientific interest. Their superior flexibility, ease of processing, and ability to conform to large areas and curved surfaces set them apart from inorganic materials. In this study, we developed a flexible, light-sensitive piezoelectric nano generator (PENG) using electrospun hybrid nanofibers composed of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and α-Fe₂O₃. Through piezo response force microscopy (PFM), we characterized the piezoelectric properties of these nanofibers, noting a significant enhancement in the piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃). We further investigated the application of three distinct nanostructured materials across three catalytic scenarios: piezoelectric, pyro catalytic, and photocatalytic. Our primary focus was on renewable energy generation and environmental remediation, particularly targeting the removal of organic pollutants. Our methods achieved an impressive removal efficiency of up to 95% for methylene blue (MB) dye. Additionally, we demonstrated the efficacy of integrating magnetic nanoparticles into electrospun nanofibers to improve the adsorption of heavy metals, specifically lead and copper contaminants. This research provides a comprehensive examination of nanomaterial-based energy harvesting systems, utilizing ferroelectric, sonocatalytic, and photocatalytic approaches.