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The book reviews our current knowledge of piezoelectric materials, including their history, developments, properties, process design, and technical applications. Keywords: Piezoelectric Materials, Piezo-crystals, Nanogenerators, Phototronics, Piezoelectric Composites, Biomedical Applications, Energy Harvesting, Piezoelectric Thin Films, Piezoelectric Perovskites, Sensor Applications, Piezoelectric Ceramics, Piezoelectric Semiconductors, Piezoelectric Polymers.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a promising manufacturing platform in biomedical engineering. It offers significant advantages in fabricating complex and customized biomedical products with accuracy, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reproducibility. The rapidly growing field of three-dimensional printing (3DP), which emphasizes customization as its key advantage, is actively searching for functional materials. Among these materials, piezoelectric materials are highly desired due to their linear electromechanical and thermoelectric properties. Polymer piezoelectrics and their composites are in high demand as biomaterials due to their controllable and reproducible piezoelectric properties. Three-dimensional printable piezoelectric materials have opened new possibilities for integration into biomedical fields such as sensors for healthcare monitoring, controlled drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, microfluidic, and artificial muscle actuators. Overall, this review paper provides insights into the fundamentals of polymer piezoelectric materials, the application of polymer piezoelectric materials in biomedical fields, and highlights the challenges and opportunities in realizing their full potential for functional applications. By addressing these challenges, integrating 3DP and piezoelectric materials can lead to the development of advanced sensors and devices with enhanced performance and customization capabilities for biomedical applications.

Bones can sense bioelectricity. The process of bone remodeling and repair needs complex physiological signals like bioelectric, biochemical, and biomechanical factors, which work together to promote bone recovery. The formation, healing, and regeneration of natural bones are intricately linked to the influence of electrical signals. Piezoelectric materials have piezoelectric properties similar to bones, making them suitable for bone like repair. This study systematically summarizes the role of piezoelectric materials in bone remodeling and repair, as well as their related preparation techniques. Subsequently, the piezoelectric mechanism of bones is explored in depth, including the study of bone composition, analysis of piezoelectric and osteogenic mechanisms, and research progress on piezoelectric stimulation guided bone regeneration and repair. Through these analyses, the principle of how piezoelectric materials interact with bones to promote bone repair and remodeling has been further understood. Finally, the article analyzes the mechanism of piezoelectric materials on bone remodeling and repair, revealing how piezoelectric stimulation promotes bone regeneration and repair. These findings offer theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the further application of piezoelectric materials in orthopedics.

Introduction Breast cancer ranks second as the most common malignancy globally, after lung cancer. Among the various subtypes of breast cancer, HER2 positive breast cancer (HER2 BC)poses a particularly challenging prognosis due to its heightened invasiveness and metastatic potential. The objective of this study was to construct a composite piezoelectric nanoparticle based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) for imaging and treatment of HER2 BC. Method By reshaping the crystal structure of P(VDF-TrFE) piezoelectric nanoparticles, improving hydrophilicity, and incorporating imaging capabilities, we developed piezoelectric composite nanoparticles (PGd@tNBs) that integrate imaging and therapeutic functions. The in vitro characterization encompassed the assessment of piezoelectric properties, hydrophilicity, imaging performance, and therapeutic efficacy of these particles. The targeting and therapeutic effectiveness of PGd@tNBs particles were further validated in the SK-BR3 cell line and subsequently confirmed in HER2-positive tumor-bearing mice. Results The nanoparticle demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and impressive multimodal imaging performance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) observations revealed significant accumulation of PGd@tNBs particles in the HER2 positive tumor, exhibiting superior contrast-enhanced ultrasound performance compared to traditional ultrasound contrast agents, and small animal in vivo imaging showed that PGd@tNBs particles were primarily excreted through respiration and urinary metabolism. Piezoforce Microscopy characterization highlighted the outstanding piezoelectric properties of PGd@tNBs particles. Upon targeted binding to HER2-BC, ultrasound stimulation influenced the cell membrane potential, leading to reversible electroporation. This, in turn, affected the balance of calcium ions inside and outside the cells and the mitochondrial membrane potential. Following ingestion by cells, PGd@tNBs, when exposed to ultrasound, triggered the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in the consumption of glutathione and superoxide dismutase and achieving sonodynamic therapy. Notably, repeated ultrasound stimulation, post PGd@tNBs particles binding and entry into cells, increased ROS production and elevated the apoptosis rate by approximately 45%. Conclusion In conclusion, the PGd@tNBs particles developed exhibit outstanding imaging and therapeutic efficacy, holding potential for precise diagnosis and personalized treatment of HER2 BC.

Honeycomb-based, modular composites with a relative density of 0.3948 and a slenderness ratio Lges/t of 6.48 were fabricated on PZT building blocks connected with a PZT-filled phenyl silicone resin. The macro- and micro-structure, phase composition, and the interface between the two materials were analyzed by SEM and image analysis techniques. The mechanical in-plane strain response was determined with uniaxial compression tests and the transversal piezoelectric strain response was determined by applying an electric field. These deformations were analyzed by a 2D digital image correlation analysis to calculate the mechanical strain amplification of monolithic and composite PZT lattice structures. Compared to bulk PZT, the piezoelectric strain amplification in the Y-direction |aypiezo| was higher by a factor of 69 for the composite and by a factor of 12 for the monolithic cellular PZT lattice, when it was assumed that the ratio of the deformation of the bulk material to bulk material was 1. The mechanical amplification of the composite lattices increased up to 73 and that of the cellular PZT lattices decreased to 12. Special focus was given to the fracture behavior and the interface of the PZT/PZT-filled phenyl silicone resin interface.

The Griffith crack problem and the interaction between screw dislocation and semi-infinite crack in cubic quasicrystal piezoelectric materials are studied by using the complex variable function method. The stress intensity factors and electric displacement intensity factors are obtained. The effects of the linear force and coupling elastic coefficient on the stress intensity factor of phonon field and phason fields are discussed in detail. By numerical examples, it is found that the linear force and the coupling elastic constant have a significant effect on the stress intensity factor.

In the present numerical simulation work, effective elastic and piezoelectric properties are calculated and a comparative study is conducted on a cement matrix‐based piezocomposite with 0–3 and gyroid triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) inclusions. The present study compares the effective properties of different piezoelectric materials having two different types of connectivity of the inclusions namely, 0–3 inclusions where the inclusions are physically separated from each other and are embedded within the matrix and the second one is TPMS inclusions having interpenetrating phase type connectivity. Effective properties are calculated for four different materials at five different volume fractions namely, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% volume fractions of inclusion by volume. In terms of effective properties and direct piezoelectric effect, TPMS piezocomposite is found to perform better compared to 0–3 piezocomposite. Lead‐free piezoelectric material 0.5Ba(Ca0.8Zr0.2)O3 − 0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 demonstrates better performance compared to all other material inclusions studied. The present study attempts to highlight improved piezoelectric effective properties of lead‐free material‐based piezocomposites with TPMS inclusions. A comparative study conducted on 0–3 and triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) piezocomposites is presented. Lead‐free barium calcium zirconium titanate (BCZT) TPMS piezocomposite demonstrates about 50 and 33 times increment in e31 and e33 compared to 0–3. Gyroid demonstrates better stiffness and generates 2.5 times more voltage in response to the direct piezoelectric effect than 0–3 piezocomposite for BCZT material.

The goal of this paper is to review current methods of energy harvesting, while focusing on piezoelectric energy harvesting. The piezoelectric energy harvesting technique is based on the materials’ property of generating an electric field when a mechanical force is applied. This phenomenon is known as the direct piezoelectric effect. Piezoelectric transducers can be of different shapes and materials, making them suitable for a multitude of applications. To optimize the use of piezoelectric devices in applications, a model is needed to observe the behavior in the time and frequency domain. In addition to different aspects of piezoelectric modeling, this paper also presents several circuits used to maximize the energy harvested.