Studying the electrical, mechanical, and biological properties of BCZT–HA composites

The piezoelectric properties of natural bone and their influence on bone growth have inspired researchers to study a range of bio-piezoelectric composite materials. By exploring these materials, researchers aim to understand better, how piezoelectricity can be controlled to promote bone growth and tissue regeneration. In this work, the prominent piezoelectric material, (Ba, Zr) TiO₃-x(Ba,Ca)TiO₃, abbreviated as BCZT, was selected as a possible bone growth enhancer in hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds. Initially, BCZT and hydroxyapatite (HA) powders were synthesized using the sol–gel method. Subsequently, various composite samples of BCZT–xHA were prepared using the conventional solid-state method. After sintering the samples at 1300°C, the phase structure, microstructure, density, and electrical properties were characterized. The samples' compressive strength was determined by analyzing the outcomes of basic compression tests. The biological behavior of the samples in terms of in vitro simulated body fluid immersion and MTT tests were evaluated. Our results revealed that among the BCZT–xHA samples, the BCZT-20HA sample had the best composition, considering its electrical, mechanical, and biological properties. A d₃₃ value of 10 pC/N, dielectric permittivity of 110, and the g₃₃ equal to 10.27 mV m/N resulted in the output voltage of 1.03 V. The results of the MTT assay test confirmed the noncytotoxic nature of the samples with the highest optical density in the BCZT-20HA sample.