Randomized trial demonstrates enhanced piezoelectricity in bioresorbable polymers using ultrasound, suggesting new applications for medical devices.
Piezoelectric materials can power self-sustained medical devices, but biodegradable systems with high performance remain elusive. We introduce a high-frequency ultrasound treatment strategy that enhances the piezoelectricity of poly-L-lactide (PLLA) via standing-wave-induced crystallization and ferroelectric electret formation. Ultrasound at 1.2 MHz promotes β-form crystal alignment, increasing the piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 ) to 10.8 pC/N, approaching that of non-degradable PVDF. The ultrasound-treated PLLA (US-PLLA) retains full biodegradability and biocompatibility, safely degrading in vivo without organ toxicity. Functionally, US-PLLA enables real-time biosignal monitoring and promotes cardiac recovery after myocardial infarction in rats. This work establishes ultrasound-mediated crystallization as a general route to high-performance biodegradable piezoelectric polymers for transient biomedical systems.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Kang et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: