Piezoelectric materials and systems for tissue engineering and implantable energy harvesting devices for biomedical applications

Abstract

Recently, the development of smart materials and the study of their properties has provided an innovative approach to the field of tissue engineering. Piezoelectrics, which are able to generate electric charge in response to mechanical stress or strain have been utilised in the stimulation of electrophysiologically responsive cells, including those found in bone, muscle, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. This area of study has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade in terms of both the array of piezoelectric materials and analytical methods by which they are evaluated in relation to specific tissue types. This review provides a critical and comprehensive overview of the most recent advances in this emerging field. Furthermore, it will extend the scope to examine the most recent developments in piezoelectric biomedical devices that extract energy from physiological processes to either power biomedical implants or act as biomedical sensors.