Na0.5K0.5NbO3 embedded Poly(vinylidene fluoride) piezoelectric energy harvester for bone tissue engineering applications

• Piezoelectric energy harvester with PVDF-NKN were developed using hot compression molding. • Developed composites with NKN rods significantly enhanced electrical output, dielectric and ferroelectric properties. • PVDF-30 wt% NKN composite achieved the highest power density (∼59.7 µW/cm 2 ). • The composites exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and promoted osteogenic differentiation in MG-63 cells. • PVDF-NKN piezoelectric harvesters emerge as effective substitutes for bone defect repair. Piezoelectric biomaterials generate electrical stimulation in response to mechanical stress or deformation, making advanced piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs), highly attractive for tissue engineering applications. Na 0.5 K 0.5 NbO 3 (NKN), with its high piezoelectric activity, effectively boosts dipolar polarization and enhances the piezoelectric performance of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composites. This article focuses on using solvent casting and hot compression molding, to design and develop electroactive PVDF PEHs reinforced with NKN rods. The power outputs were measured to be approximately 23.93 μW/cm 2 for pristine PVDF, ∼27.71 μW/cm 2 for PVDF-10 wt% NKN (PVDF-10NKN), 40.84 μW/cm 2 for PVDF-20 wt% NKN (PVDF-20NKN), and 59.71 μW/cm 2 for PVDF-30 wt% NKN (PVDF-30NKN). A systematic characterization of the dielectric and ferroelectric properties using relative permittivity, AC conductivity, polarization–electric field (P-E) hysteresis, and energy density analyses validated the enhancements, caused by the addition of NKN rods. Excellent cytocompatibility was demonstrated by in vitro cell viability tests using MG-63 cells, and osteogenic differentiation was confirmed by elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. These findings reveal PVDF PEHs, embedded with NKN rods, as a noteworthy electroactive substitute for bone tissue regeneration.