Biocompatible piezoelectric lattice materials with ultrasound-regulated multimodal responses

Abstract

Piezoelectric biomaterials, capable of converting electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice versa, are desirable for implantable devices that can achieve biosensing, tissue regeneration, anti-infection, and tumor treatment. However, their low piezoelectricity, simple geometry, and monotonous functionality remain challenging towards practical applications. Here, we report the design and additive manufacturing of a series of biocompatible piezoelectric lattice materials with bone-mimicking designs and ultrasound-regulated electrical responses. Barium calcium zirconate titanate (BCZT) with a piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ up to 580 pC/N was synthesized and used as the parent material of the lattices for additive manufacturing. The as-fabricated BCZT lattices have compressive strength comparable to native trabecular bones, making them promising candidates for implantation and in vivo activation. We show that the lattices allow on-demand activation of anti-tumor or osteogenic functions with programmable non-invasive ultrasound stimuli, both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings provide new insights and a widely applicable strategy for developing versatile, non-invasive, and regulatable biomedical devices via bio-mimicking designs and additive manufacturing.