Piezocatalysts as antimicrobial agents: A promising frontier in pathogenic bacteria control

• Explain the basics of piezocatalysts and their potential use as antimicrobial agents against harmful bacteria. • Explore and elucidate the mechanisms by which piezo catalysts exert antimicrobial activity. • Critically evaluate experimental studies and research findings that demonstrate the efficacy of piezo catalysts in inhibiting or eliminating pathogenic bacteria. • Discuss piezocatalysts' practical applications as antimicrobial agents in diverse fields, such as healthcare, water purification, food safety, and environmental sanitation. • Identify and assess piezo catalysts' limitations, challenges, and potential risks, including toxicity concerns, scalability issues, and environmental compatibility. The global escalation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical threat to public health, challenging the effectiveness of conventional antibiotic treatments. This review explores the novel potential of piezocatalysts as antimicrobial agents, offering an innovative approach to mitigating AMR. Piezocatalytic materials, capable of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) under mechanical stress, present a promising method to counteract pathogenic bacteria. Mechanistic insights into the actions of piezocatalysts such as cell wall and membrane disruption, biofilm degradation, induction of bacterial stress responses, and interference with cellular functions are analyzed to highlight their targeted antimicrobial effects. Furthermore, the diverse applicability of piezocatalysts across medical, environmental, and water purification systems is explored, underscoring their relevance in contexts requiring sustained antimicrobial action. In addition to these roles, piezocatalysts hold potential in energy harvesting, sensing technologies, catalytic reactors, and biomedical engineering. Piezocatalysts thus emerge as promising contributors to advanced, antibiotic-free strategies, promoting sustainable antimicrobial practices within both academic research and industrial applications.