Multifunctional Artificial Artery from Direct 3D Printing with Built‐In Ferroelectricity and Tissue‐Matching Modulus for Real‐Time Sensing and Occlusion Monitoring

Abstract

Treating vascular grafts failure requires complex surgery procedures and is associated with high risks. A real-time monitoring vascular system enables quick and reliable identification of complications and initiates safer treatments early. Here, an electric fieldassisted 3D printing technology is developed to fabricate in situ-poled ferroelectric artificial arteries that offer battery-free real-time blood pressure sensing and occlusion monitoring capability. The functional artery architecture is made possible by the development of a ferroelectric biocomposite which can be quickly polarized during printing and reshaped into devised objects. The synergistic effect from the potassium sodium niobite particles and the polyvinylidene fluoride polymer matrix yields a superb piezoelectric performance (bulk-scale d 33 > 12 pC N −1). The sinusoidal architecture brings the mechanical modulus close to the level of blood vessels. The desired piezoelectric and mechanical properties of the artificial artery provide an excellent sensitivity to pressure change (0.306 mV mmHg −1 , R 2 > 0.99) within the range of human blood pressure (11.25-225.00 mmHg). The high pressure sensitivity and the ability to detect subtle vessel motion pattern change enable early detection of partial occlusion (e.g., thrombosis), allowing for preventing grafts failure. This work demonstrates a promising strategy of incorporating multifunctionality to artificial biological systems for smart healthcare systems.

A Fully Self-Healing Piezoelectric Nanogenerator for Self-Powered Pressure Sensing Electronic Skin

“…Compared with the piezoelectric coefficient, higher dielectric constant will lower the capacitance causing decreased output of the FS-PENG. In addition, compositional and structural inhomogeneity when mixing too many PZT particles into the composite could also easily lead to breakdown [ 36 ], resulting in a decreased piezoelectric coefficient of the piezoelectric composite. Based upon the interaction of the above factors, the output performance of FS-PENG exhibited a tendency of first increase and then decrease with the increasing of PZT content and generated the maximum output voltage and current of 3.2 V and 56.1 nA at the PZT content of 70 wt%.…”

Recent Trends and Innovation in Additive Manufacturing of Soft Functional Materials

“…Strategies for AM of soft piezoelectrics have focused on intelligent structure design to overcome the inherent stiffness of common piezoelectric materials such as PVDF and ceramics. For example, Li et al used electrical field-assisted FDM to produce piezoelectric sheets with designed deformations made with nanocomposites of sodium niobate ceramics and PVDF [ 76 ]. Chiral patterns were built into the sheets to allow large deformations.…”

Wearable and Implantable Electroceuticals for Therapeutic Electrostimulations

“…[44] Although PVDF and its copolymer films (e.g., PVDF-TrFE) have been broadly used as a polymeric piezoelectric component, its relatively low electromechanical coupling factors still resulted much lower electrical outputs compared to the ceramic-based PENGs. [43,58,59] Considering the special requirement of biocompatibility and biodegradability, biomaterials such as piezoelectric microorganisms and organics have also attracted much attention for implantable PENG development. Lee et al designed a PENG assembled by bio-based nontoxic virus (M13 bacteriophage), which was able to generate electricity of 6 nA and 400 mV under applied load of 34 N at a low frequency of 0.16 Hz.…”

“…[ 44 ] Although PVDF and its copolymer films (e.g., PVDF‐TrFE) have been broadly used as a polymeric piezoelectric component, its relatively low electromechanical coupling factors still resulted much lower electrical outputs compared to the ceramic‐based PENGs. [ 43,58,59 ]…”