Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric Materials in Advanced Biomedical Applications: Multifunctional Integration and Clinical Prospects
ABSTRACT Piezoelectric and pyroelectric materials are advancing a broad spectrum of biomedical technologies, the former interconverting mechanical and electrical energy and the latter converting thermal fluctuations into electrical signals. For biosensing and health monitoring, piezoelectric polymers such as poly(vinylidene fluoride) and selected bio‐derived systems enable wearable and implantable devices that track cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal parameters. Concurrently, pyroelectric temperature sensors offer passive, real‐time detection of thermal transients associated with inflammation and metabolic activity. In therapeutic applications, ultrasound‐driven piezoelectric antibacterial materials and piezoelectric wound dressings accelerate infection control and tissue repair. Furthermore, piezoelectric scaffolds provide wireless electrical stimulation for neural and bone tissue engineering. In oncology, piezocatalytic and pyroelectric catalytic therapies generate reactive oxygen species for tumor ablation and immunogenic cell death. Recent innovations, including defect engineering to enhance charge separation, subcellular targeting strategies, and the development of biodegradable transient devices, address the long‐term safety concerns of permanent implants. Despite these advances, challenges remain in optimizing in vivo stability, establishing standardized biocompatibility protocols, and navigating regulatory pathways toward clinical translation. Future interdisciplinary efforts will be essential to realize the full potential of these intelligent, biointegrated systems in precision medicine.
Authors
- Run Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0943-824X)
- Huijing Xiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7465-3392)
- Xingguang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3617-1827)
- Jiankang Cheng
- Shuning Liu
- Ziting Lin
- Boxin Xue
Institutions
- Shanghai University (CN)
- East China University of Science and Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Published
- 2026-09-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.78163
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Shanghai Shuguang Program