Novel CeO2@Cu/PTFE tribocatalysis system with high efficiency for organic pollutant degradation

Herein, a novel sunlight-independent tribocatalytic system with efficient friction energy harvesting capability is proposed. This system demonstrates enhanced tribocatalytic performance of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles driven by the friction between Cu coated on the glass beaker bottom and a Teflon (PTFE) magnetic disk. An apparent rate constant of 0.045 min −1 was achieved for methylene blue (MB) degradation, representing a 2.7-fold improvement over the CeO 2 @glass/PTFE system (0.01682 min −1 ). Notably, the system achieved > 90% degradation efficiency for high-concentration MB solutions (40 mg/L), surpassing the performance of previously reported tribocatalytic systems. Through multiscale tribo-interface characterization and radical trapping experiments, the synergistic catalytic mechanism was elucidated: Friction-induced charge carriers in CeO 2 are efficiently transferred via the interfacial electronic effects of the Cu/PTFE friction couple and the active surface with Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ redox couples. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis confirmed that Cu coating modification on the surface of the beaker bottom enhanced hydroxyl radical (·OH) yield by 2.3-fold compared to glass, enabling complete pollutant degradation through hole (h + )-dominated oxidation pathways. This work transcends conventional catalyst modification strategies, establishing a new paradigm for interface engineering in mechano-chemical energy conversion systems.