Treatment of Ship Ballast Water by Biomimetic Electric Ray TENG

This study explores the innovative utilization of a biomimetic electric ray friction nanogenerator (ER-TENG) in combination with electrolysis technology for the remediation of maritime effluent. The ER-TENG is ingeniously crafted with a flexible, planar structure, enabling seamless adaptation to various curved and irregular substrates such as rocks, corals, and shipwrecks on the ocean floor, obviating the necessity for specialized mounting or securing devices. Simulation results regarding the potential distribution between the copper electrode and the PDMS film under different inter-electrode distances indicate that an increase in separation distance is correlated with an enhanced potential difference on the material's surface, exhibiting a linear upward trend, with the maximum potential difference reaching 120 V. When TiO2 nanoparticles are incorporated at a doping mass fraction of 4.65 wt%, the friction nanogenerator attains its peak electrical performance, boasting a peak opencircuit voltage of 123.25 V and a maximum short-circuit current of 13.52 μA, representing increases of 2.73-fold and 2.56-fold in open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current, respectively. At operational frequencies of 1.2 Hz and 1.0 Hz, the initial stage of sterilization rate enhancement proceeds at a moderate pace. However, after 60 minutes of electrolysis, sterilization rates reach 88.12% and 46.36%, respectively. The electrical energy harvested by the ER-TENG facilitates the generation of potent oxidizing chlorine through electrolysis, which effectively eliminates harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens present in ship ballast water.