The design of high-sensitivity stretchable piezoelectric sensors remains challenging due to the inherent trade-off between the ability to achieve high levels of mechanical deformation while maintaining efficient stress transduction. Here, we propose a new topology-optimization strategy to construct stretchable piezoelectric sensors that efficiently utilize the spatial stress distribution and are able to adapt to a range of anisotropic mechanical stress states. By exploiting computer-aided topology optimization, the distribution of piezoelectric ceramic units within the sensor was tailored to maximize the degree of stress transfer, resulting in an increase of 103.5% and 59.7% in the maximum piezoelectric potential when subject to tension and torsion, respectively. To ensure structural stretchability and adaptability of the topology optimized sensors when subject to complex loading environments, a direct ink writing process was developed to create stretchable eutectic gallium-indium liquid alloy (EGaIn) electrodes. Based on a shear-driven mechanism of printing, new predictive theoretical equations governing printing performance were developed that could predict the printed state (with 94.7% accuracy) and enable trace width control (relative error < 15%). The final optimized sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity, achieving 14.0 V per strain and 0.10 V per degree when subject to tensile and torsional loads, exceeding the unoptimized device by 59.2% and 92.4%, respectively. Finally, inspired by the morphological characteristics of butterflies and guided by the topology-optimized layout, a multi-channel sensor was constructed to accurately identify the pattern and amplitude of a complex range of neck movements, demonstrating the significant potential of the new design and manufacturing approach for wearable electronics.

Adhesive-free 2-2 structured Ni/Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbZrTiO3/Ni laminates were realized by directly electroplating magnetostrictive Ni onto [011]-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PMN-PZT) single crystals for operation in the d32 mode, thereby maximizing interfacial bonding and suppressing viscoelastic coupling losses associated with polymer adhesive layers. Finite element analysis comparing the presence/absence of an interlayer, single crystal vs ceramic piezoelectrics, and variations in Ni thickness shows that removing a polymeric adhesive layer increases the induced piezoelectric potential by approximately 13% that single crystals deliver ∼1.3 times higher output than ceramics at identical Ni thickness, and that the response grows, then saturates with Ni thickness under the same excitation condition. Uniform polycrystalline Ni layers with soft magnetic characteristics and controlled thickness were obtained by direct Ni electroplating on PMN-PZT single crystals. Under off-resonance condition, the direct magnetoelectric voltage coefficient increases with Ni thickness and reaches 6.9 V/cm Oe at bias fields below 100 Oe. At the electromechanical resonance, the coefficient is strongly amplified to 1419 V/cm Oe. These results indicate that combining direct Ni electroplating on 32 mode single crystals enhances interfacial stress transfer and magneto-electromechanical conversion, providing a scalable route to high magnetoelectric responses for sensitive magnetic field sensing, low-frequency magnetoelectric antennas, and other applications.

The underlying mechanisms by which heterogeneous interfaces enhance piezoelectric catalytic effects under ultrasonic irradiation, along with their potential biomedical applications, remain poorly understood. In this study, a versatile Z-Scheme nanoplatform by encapsulating the BiO2-x/Ag3PO4 heterojunction within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres (BA@PLGA) was developed for ultrasound-activated deep-lung antibacterial therapy. The Z-scheme heterojunction synergistically integrates piezoelectric and built-in electric fields, achieving 2.2 and 4.7-fold enhancements in piezoelectric (d33) and electromechanical coupling (k) coefficients, respectively. Ultrasonic-induced dynamic modulation of the piezoelectric potential in BiO2-x/Ag3PO4 generated a "carrier-pumping" effect, which enhanced polarized charge migration efficiency and thereby markedly amplified reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Consequently, with the assistance of trace Ag+, 99.87 ± 0.05% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were effectively eradicated within 15 min in vitro. Prokaryotic transcriptome analysis further revealed that the synergistic effect of ROS and trace Ag+ disrupted the cell envelope and interfered with the core metabolic pathways of MRSA. This ultrasound-activated platform, integrating piezocatalysis and trace Ag+, achieved over 99.9% bacterial clearance rapidly (1.6log superiority over gentamicin) and alleviated inflammation in a MRSA-induced pneumonia, demonstrating considerable potential for combating bacterial infections in deep-seated tissues.

ABSTRACT This study demonstrates that glucose can be stoichiometrically converted to arabinose and formic acid with 100% selectivity through a piezophotocatalytic process on ZnIn 2 S 4 ‐based nanosheets, while simultaneously driving the hydrogen evolution from water. A series of Ni‐doped ZnIn 2 S 4 catalysts with varying doping concentrations is hydrothermally synthesized. Structural characterizations confirm substitutional incorporation of Ni at Zn lattice sites, accompanied by vacancy formation, whereas the surface layers of self‐assembled nanosheets remain Ni‐free. Under intensified fluid‐induced shear stress, the ZnIn 2 S 4 ‐based catalysts exhibit significantly enhanced piezophotocatalytic performance for both hydrogen production and glucose valorization. An optimal Ni doping level is identified that maximizes piezoelectric polarization, delivering a fivefold increase in the yields of H 2 , arabinose, and formic acid compared to pristine ZnIn 2 S 4 , thereby highlighting the critical role of Ni doping in amplifying piezoelectric effects. Multiscale simulations reveal that Ni incorporation in ZnIn 2 S 4 primarily modulates vacancy concentrations and bulk electronic properties, including dielectric response, elastic modulus, and piezoelectric potential, to boost charge separation efficiency. Mechanistic insights establish that protons for H 2 evolution originate from water, while photogenerated holes and hydroxyl radicals produced via hole‐driven water oxidation under piezophotocatalytic conditions govern the highly selective stoichiometric conversion of glucose to arabinose and formic acid on ZnIn 2 S 4 ‐based catalysts.

Piezoelectric sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a novel non-invasive and highly penetrating cancer treatment method, which can be triggered by ultrasound (US) to induce energy band tilting of piezoelectric sonosensitizers to promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, it remains a challenge to modulate the energy band structure of piezoelectric sonosensitizers to overcome the energy barriers for efficient ROS production at limited US power. Here, Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 clad with platinum (NBT@Pt) is designed through interface engineering to enhance its piezoelectric properties by leveraging the built-in electric field created between the noble metal Pt and the centrosymmetric semiconductor NBT, thereby breaking the inversion symmetry of the material. Meanwhile, O2 can be generated from the decomposition of H2O2, catalyzed by Pt NPs in the tumor microenvironment, which increases the cavitation strength by 143.5%, resulting in higher piezoelectric potential and piezoelectric catalytic performance of NBT@Pt. Cellular and animal experiments show that NBT@Pt has good biocompatibility and high antitumor efficiency, which show the high tumor inhibition rate as 92.8%. In this study, a novel modulation strategy of piezoelectric sonosensitizers is developed, which provides a typical example for the development of piezoelectric sonosensitizers in the field of anti-tumor therapy.

Abstract Incontinence‐associated dermatitis (IAD) leads to persistent tissue damage, antibiotic‐resistant infections, and neurogenic inflammation, greatly impairing patients' quality of life. Current therapies fail to simultaneously eliminate resistant bacterial biofilms, neutralize alkaline conditions, and break the cycle of ammonia (NH 3 ) regeneration. Here, a piezoelectric gas therapy strategy based on platinum‐decorated bismuth molybdate load in gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogel (Pt@BMO‐Gel) is introduced. Under ultrasound excitation, Pt@BMO generates high piezoelectric potential to improve charge separation, selectively adsorbs NH 3 on BMO (001) crystal facets, efficiently degrades NH 3 to normalize pH, and enables sustained release of H 2 and NO for dual antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory effects. Mechanistic insights from theoretical calculations show that the Pt (111) and BMO (001) surfaces lower energy barriers for H 2 formation and N─H bond cleavage, conducive to the generation of NO and H 2 . Transcriptomic profiling reveals downregulation of key nitrogen metabolism genes (arcC/hutH) in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and disruption of the (p)ppGpp‐mediated stringent response, effectively eradicating bacterial persistence via metabolic reprogramming. This study establishes Pt@BMO as an efficient piezoelectric catalyst for wound therapy, presenting a novel approach in medicine that transforms harmful NH 3 into therapeutic H 2 and NO, offering a promising treatment paradigm for infected wounds, such as incontinence‐associated dermatitis.

Investigation the piezoelectric properties of titanium dioxide nanorod arrays during the spontaneous electric potential

To overcome the challenges of extended processing and filler dependency for performance enhancement in pure silk fibroin (SF) piezoelectric devices, this study introduces a regeneration-free, integrated dissolution-spinning-crystallization strategy. This approach effectively enhances the intrinsic piezoelectric potential of SF by controlling the conformational rearrangement of its molecular chains and promoting the formation of ordered β-sheet crystal structures. Uniform nanofibers were fabricated under optimized conditions (6 wt % CaCl2, 18 wt % SF, and 19 kV). A subsequent treatment with 90% ethanol induced a significant molecular rearrangement. This facilitated a structural transition from random coils, α-helices, and β-turns to highly ordered β-sheets, increasing the β-sheet content from ≈37.15 to ≈68.70%. This structural enhancement led to a remarkable improvement in performance: under a 10 N force at 3 Hz, the open-circuit voltage increased from 3.01 to 6.01 V, with a short-circuit current of approximately 53.6 nA. Without any functional fillers, this strategy successfully releases and significantly enhances the intrinsic piezoelectric potential of silk fibroin, offering an efficient and green pathway for next-generation wearable electronics and self-powered sensing applications.

Abstract From the notion of atomic bond relaxation, an analytical correlation for position-, size-, and shape-dependent piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential of truncated tapered GaN nanowires is developed. Quantitative analyses have uncovered that surface broken bond-motivated atomic coordination number lowering, bond shortening and hardening, and surface-to-volume ratio rising are common physical origins of position, size, and shape effects of piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential. The position, size, and shape dependencies of piezoelectric potential are equal to those of pyroelectric potential. Concretely, the piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential ratio shows marked strengthening with the change in position from bottom to top of truncated tapered nanowires, while those of traditional columnar nanowires are independent of position. Piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential is bottom radius- and half cone angle-dependent, which rises with decreasing bottom radius in a hyperbolic form and rises with increasing half cone angle in a slightly nonlinear way. The truncated tapered nanowires can produce much higher piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential than their columnar nanowire counterparts owing to their larger surface-to-volume ratio. At the same equivalent bottom radius, with the decrease in the number of sides for truncated tapered polygonal nanowires, the surface-to-volume ratio rises, and the piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential heightens. The present formulation goes beyond the range of existing methods, which not only unveils quantitative information but also displays a penetrative perception of mechanisms for piezoelectric/pyroelectric potential in response to position, size, and shape.

The regeneration of large segmental bone defects remains a significant challenge. While electrical stimulation has demonstrated the potential to accelerate bone healing, clinical translation has been hindered by the lack of safe, localized delivery methods. In this study, we present a novel strategy combining piezoelectric and electrically conductive polymers with allograft demineralized bones to create stimuli-responsive, biologically relevant scaffolds via pneumatic 3D printing. These scaffolds exhibit enhanced piezoelectric potential and tunable electrical properties, enabling both electrical and mechanical stimulation of cells (without external stimulators). Under dynamic culturing conditions (i.e., ultrasound stimulation), human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells cultured on these scaffolds displayed significantly elevated osteogenic protein expression (i.e., alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin) and mineralization (confirmed via xylenol orange mineral staining) after two weeks. This work introduces a bioinspired, printable ink in conjunction with a simple fabrication approach for creating dual-responsive scaffolds with high potential for functional bone tissue regeneration.

Thrombotic diseases pose life-threatening risks, yet current thrombolytic therapies face limitations including poor targeting and bleeding risks. To address this, ultrasound-activatable nanomotors (hBT-Pt@Pm) were developed through the integration of hollow BaTiO₃/Pt Schottky heterojunctions with platelet membrane (Pm) coatings. The hollow structure enhances piezocatalytic efficiency by shortening charge migration distances, while Pt deposition improves carrier separation, collectively boosting reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation under ultrasound. Finite element simulations confirmed a 5.8-fold increase in piezoelectric potential compared to solid BaTiO₃. Asymmetric Pt caps enable cavitation-driven thrombus penetration, and Pt-mediated H₂O₂ decomposition generates O₂ bubbles to amplify ROS production. In vitro, Pm coating conferred 5.2-fold higher thrombus accumulation than non-targeted nanoparticles. In murine venous thrombosis models, the nanomotors achieved near-complete clot dissolution via synergistic piezocatalysis and mechanical penetration, without systemic toxicity. This approach provides a targeted, ultrasound-powered alternative to conventional thrombolytics, combining precision therapy with inherent biosafety.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-025-03675-6.

Piezocatalytic technology exhibits great potential in the field of pollutant degradation. However, a major challenge is the difficulty of recovering powder‐based catalysts, which lead to secondary pollution of the environment. In this work, near‐hemispherical aligned porous barium strontium titanate (Ba 0.75 Sr 0.25 TiO 3 , BST) ceramics are prepared on the surface of superhydrophobic coatings by freeze‐casting method. The abundant aligned micropores of the ceramics provide opportunities for sufficient exchange of chemical substances between the ceramic and the solution, while the near‐hemispherical structure effectively improves the piezoelectric response. Under the synergistic effect of specific surface area and piezoelectric potential, BST ceramics with optimal dimensions exhibit the highest piezocatalytic degradation efficiency, reaching 59.1% in 120 min, with a first‐order kinetic rate constant k of 7.36 × 10 − 3 min − 1 . This study provides a new approach for the cost‐effective fabrication and performance optimization of green catalysts.

Near-infrared (NIR) luminescent materials are critical components of high-performance optical devices for frontier applications in anti-counterfeiting, non-destructive analysis, and deep-tissue imaging. In this work, a bright Cr3+-sensitized lanthanide NIR-II mechanoluminescence (ML) is developed in piezoelectric β-Ga2O3. Specifically, a nearly complete energy transfer (ET) from highly doped Cr3+ ions to Yb3+ and Er3+ acceptors is observed, resulting in pronounced ML at 1002 and 1542nm. The NIR-II luminescence intensity is further improved by cation alloying due to the promotion of octahedral distortion, culminating in 5.9- and 3.0-fold stronger ML emissions compared to the well-established CaZnOS:Yb3+ and CaZnOS:Er3+, respectively. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations revealed that the ML behavior with high dopant concentration is enabled by strain-induced piezoelectric potential without the involvement of trapping states, thus exhibiting exceptional cycling stability. Finally, an innovative multi-level encryption framework is established for information protection with wavelength-selective readout capabilities by optical or mechanical excitation.

Self-powered intracellular nanogenerator attenuates inflammatory osteolysis through mitochondrial MRS2/Mg2+-mediated macrophage repolarization and osteoclastogenesis inhibition.

This study investigates bioelectric stimulation's role in tissue regeneration by enhancing the piezoelectric properties of tissue-engineered grafts using annealed poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) scaffolds. Annealing at temperatures of 80°C, 100°C, 120°C, and 140°C is assessed for its impact on material properties and physiological utility. Analytical techniques such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) reveal increased crystallinity with higher annealing temperatures, peaking in β-phase content and crystallinity at 140°C. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows that 140°C annealed scaffolds have enhanced lamellar structures, increased porosity, and maximum piezoelectric response. Mechanical tests indicate that 140°C annealing improved elastic modulus, tensile strength, and substrate stiffness, aligning these properties with physiological soft tissues. In vitro assessments in Schwann cells demonstrate favorable responses, with increased cell proliferation, contraction, and extracellular matrix attachment. Additionally, genes linked to extracellular matrix production, vascularization, and calcium signaling are upregulated. The foreign body response in C57BL/6 mice, evaluated through Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Picrosirius Red staining, shows no differences between scaffold groups, supporting the potential for future functional evaluation of the annealed group in tissue repair.

Piezoelectric-IL-4 programmed regulation of immuno-microenvironment-induced mesenchymal stem cell recruitment and differentiation for bone regeneration☆

Unlocking piezoelectric potential of PVDF/Graphene coatings on melamine sponges for sensor technologies

This study investigates the piezophotocatalytic (PPhC) performance of electrospun nanofibrous membranes composed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. The composite membranes were synthesized via electrospinning, with optimized parameters to promote β-phase crystallinity and uniform fiber morphology. Structural and phase analyses by SEM, FTIR, Raman, and XPS confirmed the predominance of the electroactive β-phase (99.8%) in the composite, as well as strong interfacial interaction between Fe3O4 and the PVDF matrix. The composites exhibited significantly enhanced surface hydrophilicity and piezoelectric response compared to pristine PVDF. The piezoelectric potential generation was confirmed using a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG), where a 3 × 1 cm membrane generated output voltages up to ∼2 V under periodic mechanical deformation at 4 Hz. Photocatalytic and piezophotocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) was carried out under UV and visible light at varying ultrasonic frequencies. Maximum PPhC efficiency was achieved at 40 kHz, with 93% dye degradation in 60 min and a reaction rate constant exceeding the sum of photocatalysis and piezocatalysis by 13%, indicating a pronounced synergistic effect. Reactive oxygen species trapping and fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed •OH as the dominant oxidant. H2O2 productivity under PPhC reached 1700 μmol·g-1·h-1 in pure water, with a light-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency of 0.26%. Additionally, experiments conducted under an alternating magnetic field (0.3 T, 1.3 Hz) demonstrated 50% MB degradation within 240 min, revealing the contribution of magnetoelectric coupling as an alternative catalytic activation mechanism. The results suggest that PVDF/Fe3O4 nanocomposites are highly promising for multifunctional catalytic applications, combining piezoelectric, photo-, and magnetoelectric activation for efficient water purification and green oxidant production.

The nano-scale size and morphology of the piezoelectric material affect the piezoelectric properties related to the degree of lattice distortion. Herein, cylinder-like bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) with an average diameter of 100nm is prepared and uniformly loaded with graphene quantum dots (GQDs) on the surface. Under ultrasonic vibration, the piezocatalyst with the optimal loading ratio of GQDs (BiFeO3@GQDs-3%) achieves complete degradation of 10mgL-1 BPA within 30min with the corresponding degradation rate constant of 0.178 min-1 that is 2.4 times higher than that of undecorated BiFeO3 nanocylinders. The enhanced piezocatalytic oxidation activity is attributed to the small size of the BiFeO3 nanocylinders, which have a large piezoelectric potential and a significant lattice distortion under ultrasonic vibration. In addition, the introduction of highly conductive GQDs accelerates the transfer of free electrons, inhibiting the recombination of free electrons and holes, thereby promoting the piezocatalytic reaction. This work demonstrates the two efficient strategies combined for enhanced piezocatalytic activities by promoting lattice distortion through morphology control and accelerating electron transfer with high-conductive quantum dots.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with life-threatening and permanent disabilities. Given the limited capacity of neurons to regenerate, effective treatments for TBI are lacking. Neural stem cells (NSCs) can differentiate into fully functioning neurons and thus hold promise for TBI treatment. Nonetheless, NSC differentiation and proliferation are slow and inefficient. Studies have shown that piezoelectric stimulation is capable of promoting the differentiation and proliferation of NSCs. Here, we describe barium titanate-reduced graphene oxide (BTO/rGO) hybrid piezoelectric nanostickers that promote NSC proliferation and differentiation. These hybrid nanostickers attach to NSC membranes, serving as long-term generators of piezoelectric potentials upon ultrasound stimulation. BTO/rGO nanostickers promote rapid neuronal differentiation and maturation by activating the voltage-gated calcium channel/Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II/cAMP response element-binding protein pathways. Transplantation of NSCs with BTO/rGO nanostickers into the injured brain region of rats with TBI substantially repairs brain tissue and effectively restores physiological functions after 28 d following 5-min ultrasound irradiation every 2 d. These results demonstrate the potential of the combination of NSCs and BTO/rGO nanostickers for TBI treatment.