Biocompatible piezoelectronics: structure, properties, and applications

Piezoelectric materials convert mechanical strains that are common for the human body (e.g., contraction, extension, twisting, and bending) into physiologically significant electric charges. Such signals can activate various biological processes, stimulate healing injuries, feed implanted pacemakers, or even enable artificial muscle functionality. To realize such fascinating facilities, piezoelectric materials should be biocompatible, biodegradable, and flexible, so that their implantation will not cause any adverse problems. Unfortunately, conventional inorganic piezoelectrics are intrinsically rigid, brittle, hardly processible, and often contain toxic elements. Synthetic piezoelectric polymers, such as polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), also cannot completely satisfy all requirements, in particular, flexibility and biodegradability. All this sets before researchers the task of developing novel biocompatible materials with high piezoelectric response (e.g., based on amino acids, peptides, organic-inorganic hybrids, etc.) and advanced electronic schemes for their usage.



The purpose of this Research topic is to bring together the latest achievements in development of biocompatible materials with advanced piezoelectric, mechanical, optical, electric properties and their biomedical applications. Apart piezoelectrics, the range of the materials of interest also includes ferroelectrics, elastomers, and organic-inorganic hybrids of various structure (crystals, polymers, nanostructures, thin films, etc.). Application areas spread from neuron repair and skin recovery to energy harvesting and biosensing. Consolidation in one issue the cutting edge works by materials scientists, biomedical engineers, and nanotechnologists will give a strong pulse to the progress in biocompatible piezoelectronics and force the appearance of medical devices of a new generation.



In this Research topic, experimental, theoretical and computer simulation works are welcome. All types of manuscripts will be considered: reviews, research papers, and short communications. The topics of interest include but not limited to:

1. Theory of piezoelectricity and related properties in biomaterials;

2. Synthesis of novel organic and polymer piezoelectrics;

3. Deposition and characterization of thin piezoelectric films;

4. Self-assembling and co-assembling functional biomaterials;

5. Amino acids, peptides, and hybrid piezoelectric materials;

6. Methods for advanced characterization of functional properties;

7. Piezoelectric and triboelectric energy harvesting biodevices;

8. Chemical biosensors and physiology monitoring devices;

9. Piezoelectric materials in neurological applications and tissue regeneration;

10. Piezoelectric materials for drugs delivery.