How Implantable Piezoelectric Devices Are Changing Medicine

Long-term medical conditions can seriously limit freedom and quality of life when patients need constant monitoring or if medication needs to be regularly administered.

A solution to the issue is to use wearable or implantable devices that can track and broadcast statistics or deliver medication via a pump system. However, these devices have a problem: their battery life.

Devices either have heavy, cumbersome external battery packs that need replacing, or they have a limited lifespan and need to be removed or renewed, which involves surgery.

The answer could be flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) to power the devices, a solution researchers are currently exploring.

How do piezoelectric nanogenerators work?

The piezoelectric effect was first discovered in 1880 by the Curie brothers, although practical applications were not invented until the early 20th century. The principle behind the piezoelectric devices is that they produce electricity when pressure is applied.

In today’s medical applications, piezoelectricity is harnessed by converting mechanical movement such as vibrations or pressure changes into usable electrical charge. Movements stress the nanostructure of a polymer.

The polymer matrices are embedded with titanate ceramic particles, such as barium titanate, which is non-toxic. It is used in a composite or polymer to enable flexibility and movement in the body.

What are the benefits of piezoelectric nanogenerators?

When implanted, the PENGs provide many benefits to the patient, among them are:

Fewer surgeries as there are no batteries to replace
Doubles as an active sensor for physiological diagnostics
Flexibility – making the device more comfortable for the patient and with less risk of damage to organs
Can be safely used as an electrical stimulation therapy device, for example, a pacemaker or nerve stimulation
Biocompatibility – the patient’s body is less likely to reject it, and it can be left to biodegrade in the body

With further advances in PENGs for use in implantable devices, the supply of high-purity, medical-grade titanates to manufacturers and researchers will make a positive impact on patients’ lives.