Piezoelectric properties and biocompatibility of barium titanate prepared via digital light processing

Abstract

Barium titanate (BT) is widely studied in bone repair engineering due to its high dielectric constant, excellent ferroelectric properties, and non-toxic nature. However, one of the research focuses on the preparation of high-precision BT ceramics and enhances their limited mineralization bioactivity. BT is difficult to use for high-precision ceramic molding using Digital Light Processing (DLP) due to its high refractive index and strong ultraviolet absorption. In this manuscript, BT was doped with calcium silicate (CS) which has a refractive index close to photosensitive resin. The printing parameters of the composite ceramic scaffolds were determined to obtain a balance between printing efficiency and accuracy. Experimental results have demonstrated that within a CS doping ratio of up to 20 wt%, the scaffolds simultaneously meet the piezoelectric coefficient and mechanical properties of natural bone. Furthermore, mineralization and cell experiments have shown that the composite scaffold exhibits improved degradation rate, cell activity, and osteoinductivity. Subsequently, bone scaffolds with a doping ratio of 20 wt% were selected, which meet the requirements of natural bone and exhibit significantly enhanced biological activity. Research findings revealed that ceramic scaffolds after piezoelectric stimulation are more conducive to cell proliferation and growth compared to before stimulation.