Droplet-driven self-powered electronic skin for on-demand robotic hand disinfection

Development of a droplet-driven self-powered electronic skin for robotic hand disinfection. • Integration of energy harvesting, antibacterial activity, and tactile sensing within a flexible platform. • Synergistic ROS generation and localized electric-field enhancement enable rapid bacterial inactivation. • Achieves >99.999% inactivation of E. coli and S. aureus without external power input. • Provides a multifunctional strategy for biosafe robotics and intelligent human–machine interfaces. Surface contamination on robotic hands and electronic skin poses a growing biosafety concern in medical care, laboratory operation, food processing, and human-machine interaction. Conventional disinfection strategies, such as chemical disinfectants, ultraviolet irradiation, and antibacterial coatings, often require external energy input, cause chemical residues, or show limited compatibility with flexible robotic surfaces. Therefore, developing a self-powered, on-demand, and in situ disinfection strategy for robotic electronic skin is highly desirable. Here, a droplet-driven self-powered antibacterial electronic skin based on an Al-FEP-PPyNW-PM (an Al needle electrode-integrated superhydrophobic FEP-PPy nanowire-PDMS@MXene multilayer film) is proposed. Water droplets naturally impact the multilayer film, converting droplet kinetic energy into electricity and triggering antibacterial reactions on robotic hands. The superhydrophobic FEP layer promotes rapid droplet contact–separation and enhances interfacial charge generation. The Al needle electrode supports charge collection and electron transfer. The PDMS@MXene substrate provides a flexible conductive network and piezoresistive sensing capability. The PPy nanowire tips amplify the localized electric field near bacteria. Droplet-induced electron transfer activates dissolved oxygen and produces reactive antibacterial species, including hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide radicals. These species synergize with localized electric-field-induced membrane disruption to achieve rapid bacterial inactivation. The system exhibits stable electrical output under repeated droplet impact and shows efficient antibacterial performance against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Meanwhile, the PDMS@MXene@PPy composite demonstrates reliable piezoresistive sensing, enabling the film to function as an integrated electronic skin. Overall, this work integrates droplet energy harvesting, ROS-mediated disinfection, localized electric-field enhancement, and pressure sensing into a multifunctional robotic interface, offering a promising strategy for self-disinfecting robotic hands without external power or chemical disinfectants. Download: Download high-res image (163KB) Download: Download full-size image