Streaming-Charge Triggered Catalysis on Liquid-Solid Interface: Common Origin for Piezocatalysis, Sonocatalysis, and Tribocatalysis

Abstract Mechanically driven catalysis, including piezocatalysis, sonocatalysis, and tribocatalysis, yet its mechanistic basis remains elusive. Despite growing interest, mechanistic understanding remains fragmented, impeding rational catalyst design. This study harnesses the compositional complexity of catalyst materials, synergistically coupled with multiscale hydrodynamic modulation, triboelectric diagnostics, state-of-the-art spectroscopic interrogation, and first-principles theoretical insights to decode these intricate phenomena. We reveal that catalytic efficacy dominated by a dynamic interplay between interfacial surface potential, hydroxyl adsorption, and turbulence-enhanced charge transfer processes, transcends intrinsic piezoelectricity. Cavitation-driven hydroxyl desorption, potentiated by solid-liquid friction, initiates a self-sustaining redox cycle involving dissolved oxygen species. This insight leads to a unified “Streaming-Charge Triggered Catalysis” model, reconciling surface electronic band structure considerations with surface charge screening effects. Our findings establish hydrodynamic–electrostatic coupling as a universal design principle for mechanically driven catalysis, facilitating the rational development of next-generation catalysts optimized for high-efficiency energy conversion and environmental remediation.