期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2020
卷号：117
期号：1
页码：214-220
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1910343117
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Piezoelectric materials, a type of “smart” material that generates electricity while deforming and vice versa, have been used extensively for many important implantable medical devices such as sensors, transducers, and actuators. However, commonly utilized piezoelectric materials are either toxic or nondegradable. Thus, implanted devices employing these materials raise a significant concern in terms of safety issues and often require an invasive removal surgery, which can damage directly interfaced tissues/organs. Here, we present a strategy for materials processing, device assembly, and electronic integration to 1) create biodegradable and biocompatible piezoelectric PLLA [poly(l -lactic acid)] nanofibers with a highly controllable, efficient, and stable piezoelectric performance, and 2) demonstrate device applications of this nanomaterial, including a highly sensitive biodegradable pressure sensor for monitoring vital physiological pressures and a biodegradable ultrasonic transducer for blood–brain barrier opening that can be used to facilitate the delivery of drugs into the brain. These significant applications, which have not been achieved so far by conventional piezoelectric materials and bulk piezoelectric PLLA, demonstrate the PLLA nanofibers as a powerful material platform that offers a profound impact on various medical fields including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and implanted medical devices.
